An Unpredictable Month
by Jiade-103
Summary: Is it ever possible to be friends with a guy you hate? Is it possible to be friends with a guy you love? Between Syaoran and Sakura the lines of friendship are a little blurry and things never quite go as one expects. Unpredictable is the only way to explain the month they spend between these blurry lines. Nothing happens the way it should.
1. The beginging

**An Unpredictable Month**

_Chapter one_

Hey! I'm Kinomoto Sakura and this is my story.

When I was 16 my dad went on a month long trip to Canada, there was huge dig there and he really wanted to go, so I told him he _had_ to go. Big mistake on my part, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. Of course because this was a business type of trip I wasn't allowed to go so he sent me, with my consent (another huge mistake) to live with Li Yelan.  
Now I love Yelan... she's beautiful, graceful, powerful and just everything I wish I could be but... can't. She's kind of my idol and I was a just a little excited to see her (i.e. jumping on the bed and yelling at the top of my lungs) expect for one tiny thing that immediately made me stop everything I was doing and drop to the floor and maybe do a little bit of rolling. (i.e. falling off my bed.) I always seem to over look the fact that spending time at Yelan's means spending time with her son.

Li Syaoran is a devil in the making, and he's good at it. He's handsome as sin. He's got these eyes! And this body! Oh god it's _sooo_ gorgeous. If I didn't loate thim so much I would have melted at his feet. His hair is chocolate brown and is messy but in a supremely sexy way. And obviously his body is to die for! Super toned and completely drool worthy. His eyes are the problem though. They just seem to capture me. His eyes are this unbelieveable amber colour with these crazy golden flex. I could stare into them forever. They seem to look right through me and it's impossible to _not_ look at them, but when I do I have to use extra caution so I don't lose myself.

Anyways, enough about Syaoran and more about moi.

I'm just as evil as Syaoran... sometimes. I don't usually start the fights, it's mostly him. My eyes are emerlad green, Syaoran once told me that _he_ could stare into them forever. Mushy I know. My body is in an hour glass shape and I'm incredibly proud of it. (Hey I spend a lot of time working out to keep it like this). My legs are long and slender, my lips are full and my hair is auburn (It helps of course that it's long and flowy so I can flip it in people's faces.) I am usually innocent and _maybe_ a little bit dense. I'm usually pretty cheerful. Sometimes people tell me that _something_ about me just _captures_ people. I never really understood what they meant and just smiled. But I understand it now. I captured Syaoran and he captured me. How? I'm sure you'll figure it out.

**Okay, so I re-did this first chapter. I thought it could use it. I'm going to be going along and changing things in the other chapter's too. Just to make it fit.**

Jiade-103

Oh and new readers Don't review unless you want to. I don't want you to feel like you _**have**_** to review. I'm the WORST reviewer ever, so don't worry about reviewing. I write because I love to write. Simple as that.**


	2. Day 1

**An Unpredictable Month  
**_Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or any of it's characters. This Disclaimer is true for all of the chapters to come._

Chapter 2

Day 1  
August 1st  
　  
"Sakura!" Yelan said happily and embraced Sakura in a warm hug.  
"Nice to see you again Yelan" Sakura cheerfully said.  
"It's nice to have your high spirits back in our house" Yelan exclaimed  
"Lets see how high they are once Li sees me" Sakura said laughing a little "And this isn't a house it's a mansion."  
"You are so enthusiastic" Yelan chuckled. "Come in, Come in don't stand outside." Yelan ushered.  
"Thank you for letting me stay with you" Sakura said greatfully.  
"Anytime Sakura, anytime" Yelan put her hand on the small of Sakura's back and ushered her inside. Sakura smiled genuinely.  
"Now where is the little devil, I have to know where he is at all times or else life will be a living hell" Sakura asked searching the room she was in for any sign of him.  
"Li Sayoran! Come here please" Yelan called loudly  
"Li?, oh Li?" Sakura called mischievously  
"Oh great its you" A voice called from above. Sakura looked up and there on the indoor balcony with all the books was Sayoran looking down at them.  
"Hello sweetheart" Sakura said sarcastically.  
"Don't sweetheart me, you are a pain in the butt" Sayoran said annoyed.  
"no hi, hey, hello? Just 'you're a pain in the butt' where are your manners?" Sakura lightly scolded.  
"Oh pardon me." Sayoran said sarcastically and then grabbed the thick curtain rope and swung down opening the curtains and letting the beautiful view be the background behind Sakura. He landed swiftly on his feet right in front of Sakura and bowed.  
"Hello Gorgeous, welcome back to my humble home." Sayoran said, kissed Sakura's hand and rose slowly. She almost melted right there. Yelan couldn't hide the look of shock on her face.  
"Was that more to you're liking Ying Fa?" Sayoran asked  
"Very much so Xiao Lang, Thank you" Sakura said  
"No problem my cherry blossom" Sayoran chuckled.  
"As for my greeting I will redo it. Seeing as yours was much more sincere than mine" Sakura explained "And I can't let you win" She whispered so only he heard it.  
"As you wish" Sayoran said holding back a smirk. Sakura took the end of her long dress and did a fabulous curtsey. She slowly stood in a tall graceful posture.  
"Thank you, Sir, for letting me stay here in my time of need. Might I add that you look very handsome today" Sakura smiled.  
"You look quite amazing yourself, Ms. Kinomoto." Sayoran complimented. Suddenly Music echoed through the room. Sakura looked towards Yelan and saw her smirking playfully. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  
"May I have this dance?" Sayoran asked politely  
"You may, it would be my pleasure" Sakura answered  
"No, the pleasure's all mine, especially to dance with one as stunning as you." Sayoran responded. While taking Sakura's hand, bringing her to the middle of the floor. The began to dance a slow, graceful waltz.  
"I love the outfit." Sayoran said truthfully.  
"Really?" Sakura asked, "I just got it."  
"Yes the green compliments your eyes. Great buy." Sayoran said.  
"Why thank you, you are such a gentleman." Sakura praised. "Your outfit is quite nice as well"  
"How so?" Sayoran questioned, looking forward to what she had to say about his casual jeans and dress shirt.  
"The jeans have a tad of brown on them and that highlights your eyes and your dress shirt shows off your muscles. It's perfect" Sakura flattered. Sayoran twirled Sakura.  
"You certainly have a way with words ill give you that."  
"Thank you Mr. Li" Sakura thanked. As the song came to an end and Sayoran tilted Sakura so she was close to the ground and he held her closely and they starred into each others eyes. Sakura caught her breath, they were too close. His eyes were too deep.  
"My pleasure" Sayoran said quietly. Sakura couldn't figure out the empty feeling when he brought her up and let go of her with a smart bow.  
"KAWII!" sreamed Sakura's best friend Tomoyo who had predictably video taped the whole thing. Sakura and Sayoran blushed a little bit. Tomoyo ran at them with stars in her eyes.  
"1" Sakura counted  
"2" Sayoran added. Tomoyo stopped in front of them bubbling over with happiness.  
"Ready?" Sakura asked  
"Ready!" Sayoran replied. They glanced at eacher with look of unvoiced agreement.  
"3" They whispered in unison. Sakura quickly grabbed Tomoyo and took her camera.  
"Thanks" Sakura said happily and ran off quickly.  
"Sorry we cant let anyone see that, you understand right?" Sayoran asked and then ran off just as quickly. It happened so quickly that Tomoyo didn't even realize what had happened until she glanced down and saw her camera missing. Sayoran and Sakura were already hiding in a discreet closet with the door closed and the lights off.  
"Sakura! Sayoran! I'm GOING TO KILL YOU!" Tomoyo screamed and ran right past the closet in search of the two hoodlums. Sakura and Sayoran sighed in relief then Sayoran started laughing… LOUD and suddenly Tomoyo's footsteps stopped and started coming towards the closet. Sayoran couldn't stop laughing it was as if laughing gas had taken over his body. Sakura tried to cover his mouth with her hand but it didn't work. Desperate to shut him up before Tomoyo turned them into ashes Sakura did the only thing she could think of.  
"Forgive me?" Sakura asked. Sayoran nodded his head yes obviously wanting to shut himselft up as much as Sakura wanted him to. Sakura sighed deeply not liking what she was about to do. She leaned over and kissed Sayoran smack dab on the lips. Hey there's a first time for everything. Much to Sakura and Sayoran's pleasure Sayoran kissed her back, which meant that he had stopped laughing. The kiss lasted a few minutes. But to Sakura and Sayoran it seemed like a few seconds. They parted right in the nick of time. Tomoyo whiped open the door. Sakura took Sayoran's arm helping him to his feet and throwing Tomoyo her camera.  
"See ya" Sakura said quickly and ran off again with a shocked and blushing Sayoran behind her. This time they hid in Sayoran's room, which Sakura had never bin in because he forbid her from it.  
"That was a close one" Sakura sighed and fell back on Sayoran's king sized bed.  
"Why did you do that?" Sayoran asked standing by the door.  
"Do what? Fall on your bed?" Sakura asked in mock innocence.  
"No, why did you kiss me?" Sayoran asked blushing a bit.  
"Because it was the only thing I could think of to shut you up." Sakura replied  
"You could've shoved a sock in my mouth" Sayoran suggested.  
"No you would've spit it out." Sakura waved off the suggestion Sayoran shrugged his 'yeah your right' shrug. Sakura paused for a second listening to Tomoyo screaming and stomping trying to find her best friend to get revenge.  
"I had to do something you'd like so you would stop."  
"Hey who said I liked it?" Sayoran asked a little too loudly.  
Sakura ran up to him and put her hand over his mouth.  
"I'd say because you kissed back" Sakura whispered slyly uncovering his mouth.  
"I couldn't think of anything else to do, hey if you were me and a pretty girl kissed you what would you do?" Sayoran asked.  
"Thank you for the compliment but we have to hide this." Sakura pointed to the tape in her hand  
"You sly girl." Sayoran grinned. "How do you do that, take something so fast they don't notice util your long gone."  
"I learned from the best" she said gloatingly  
"Yeah and who's 'the best'?" he asked curiously.  
"Touya and you." She replied lazily. "So many years of you two and I'm bound to learn something."  
"I hate to ruin the whole 'one of our moments' thing but there's a reason why I'm being so nice" Sayoran said.  
"I knew it. 'fess up" Sakura said happily and fell down sideways on his green arm chair.  
"My mother is having a ball on the 17th and I have to get a 'date' I was wondering if you wouldn't mind being my date." Sayoran asked coolly  
"Why?" Sakura chuckled  
"Because when we want to we can get along perfectly and you know how to dance and I have to dance with my 'date' eventually, seeing as it is my ball" Sayoran explained  
"Okay" Sakura said simply.  
"Thank you so much!" he said merrily and gave Sakura a bear hug  
"Okay, okay don't get too excited" Sakura said hugging Sayoran back.  
"You think we should give Tomoyo her tape back? She's going to go crazy and probably kill us until she does." Sayoran suggested innocently  
"Nah." Sakura said. "I'll just switch this one for a fake."  
"okay, be careful hunni-buns" Sayoran said sarcastically handing her one of his many video tapes. "This one has a video of her gazing at Eriol like a piece of meat. Seeing that oughta get her off our backs for a bit."  
"Awesome! and I'll be careful... pookie-bear" Sakura said equally sarcastic and pinched his cheeks.  
Sakura walked out into the hall and down a ways. "Tomoyo!" Sakura called loudly. A loud stomping was heard as an angry Tomoyo stood in front of Sakura. Sakura handed Tomoyo the tape and gave her, a huge bear hug.  
"Bye Tomoyo" Sakura said to the girls retreating back. Sakura walked back into Sayoran's room and looked around.  
"So Li how come you forbid me from your room before? It doesn't look like there's anything to hide" Sakura observed  
"I just don't like having people in my room" Sayoran lied. Sakura looked unconvinced.  
"You're a terrible liar you know that" Sakura said and started wandering his room. She pulled out a large book with read sparkly hearts on it and it was covered in red felt.  
"Kinomoto Sakura and Li Sayoran" Sakura read the cover out loud and laughed. "Aren't you the romantic. Geez, I didn't know you had a crush on me. How sweet." She laughed some more.  
"Tomoyo gave me that for my 15th birthday" Syaoran rolled his eyes. "She thought it would 'help our relationship along'" He used air quotations. "And I do not like you." He said lying on his bed, hands behind his head without a care in the world. Sakura walked over to him with the book and sat down, Sayoran sat up and him and Sakura looked through the book.  
"Tomoyo sure does spy on us a lot" Sakura said to Sayoran. "Look at this! I don't even remember this!"  
"That's when we first met, in 7th. Remember, you fell out of the tree and Eriol made me go see if you were okay."  
"Oh yeah!" She laughed. "You were so concerned then, what happened?"  
"I found out how annoying you are." He replied. "And as for Tomoyo and her constant spying, she's spying on us right now."  
"What?" Sakura asked obvliviously.  
"Yea she's at the window with her video camera." He pointed roughly to the window.  
Sakura and Sayoran looked at the window and waved. Then Sakura gave the album to Sayoran.  
"Thanks for the 'moment'" She laughed. "But it's getting late. I knew I should have come during the day." Sayoran went to the door and watched her walk down the hall.  
"Night LiLu" Sakura called back.  
"Night Kino" He called and then closed the door and his blinds before falling into a dreamless sleep.

　  
**Okay so edit numero duo. I just had to fix up the 'sisters' thing. Cause in a later chapter I mention that Sakura's never met his sisters. So... yeah.  
Onto the next chapter.  
Jiade-103**


	3. Day 2

**An Unpredictable Month**

Chapter 3

Day 2  
August 2  
　  
An ear piercing scream filled the mansion.  
"Ah! Li I'm going to kill you!" Sakura screamed enraged  
"Good morning Wei" Yelan said to the old man.  
"Master Sayoran poured cold water over Sakura again?" Wei asked calmly  
"Yes, a normal day at the Li residence" Yelan said taking the cup of coffee Wei gave her. "Thank you Wei"  
"Your welcome ma'am"  
"What's new in the world today?" Yelan asked glancing at the news paper. As Yelan and Wei had their calm conversation Sakura and Sayoran were running all over the house in their pajama's or rather Sakura was in pajama's (Short shorts and a tank top) and Sayoran was in boxers, emerald green boxers to be exact.  
"Would you put some clothes on?" Sakura yelled.  
"No, Your not wearing anything much better." Sayoran retorted  
"At least I'm wearing a shirt" Sakura replied harshly  
"If you're going to complain about it than take it off, be my guest" Sayoran laughed.  
"You stupid perv." Sakura yelled tripping Sayoran, what she didn't expect was that he was going to pull her down with him  
"Ah!" Sakura shrieked as she fell on Sayoran's stomach. Sayoran was sitting on his butt on the floor and Sakura was on her stomach on his stomach.  
"Ouch that hurt" Sayoran complained. "Okay you win, you win. Not get _off!"  
_"Sure thing... loser" Sakura smiled and got off Sayoran. She raced to the table where pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, cereal and French toast awaited them.  
"Morning Yelan!" She said cheerfully. "Morning Wei." The two adults greeted her equally as enthusiastically before excusing themselves.  
After Sakura and Sayoran ate as much as they could their usual food fight started. And then after that they had showers. Finally it was noon. Sayoran was in the training room. Sakura was in the room next to it fortunately there were glass windows. So Sakura could watch Sayoran train in his martial arts pants while she ran on the treadmill and did other exercises in her tight short shorts and tight sports bra. What she didn't know is that over the past few months that Sayoran hadn't seen her she had tightened her muscles and when he glanced over like he usually did he lost his concentration and the punching bag hit him hard in his face. He fell to the floor with a loud 'bang' Sakura looked over and saw Sayoran injured on the floor. She quickly grabbed her zip up sweater and ran over to the next room to see if he was okay.  
"Sayoran are you okay?" Sakura asked worried, laughing a bit.  
"Yeah I'm fine. I just lost my concentration that's all" Sayoran explained.  
"That's a first" Sakura giggled "What made you lose your concentration?"  
"You did" Sayoran said truthfully getting to his feet "You and your fatness. It was allover the place." Sayoran joked. Sakura lightly punched him and then when back into the work out room and did extra work outs, somehow what Sayoran had said had some effect on her it made her want to be skinnier. Sayoran left the training room and got something to eat. For a few hours Sayoran just relaxed, he took a shower, and got into his pajama bottoms he decided not to wear a shirt. He didn't see Sakura around though. It was like she disappeared. Then he remembered that she was in the work out room. But that was 3 hours ago. Still he walked to the workout room and sure enough there was Sakura still doing her exercises that's like 5 hours she's bin exercising. Why was she still at it? Did she ever get tired?  
Sayoran knocked on the window; she looked at him and he made a motion telling her to come to him. She shook her head no and continued to exercise. 2 hours later he went back she was still there. Damn she's reckless, no lunch and now no dinner. Just exercise. How can she do it? He watched Sakura. Of course she was getting tired but she didn't stop she kept telling herself that she had to get skinnier. Every few hours Sayoran would try to get her to eat or something but she wouldn't go, soon he got tired and went to bed but at 3 am he heard a crash. And quickly ran to Sakura's room and threw the door open, she wasn't there 'Oh No!' Sayoran thought he was worried now. He ran to the work out room and sure enough there was Sakura on the ground. From the looks of it she must have few off the treadmill and into the wall. That must've hurt. Sakura tried to get up but she couldn't, but she kept trying, she had put the treadmill on full for the last hour and was getting tired foolishly she slowed down a bit and was thrown off into the hard wall. Sayoran ran into the room and tried to help Sakura to her feet but she wouldn't budge she just kept pushing him away  
"I can do it myself" Sakura yelled weakly  
"You're going to let me help you" Sayoran said stubbornly  
Eventually she let him help her up and he took her to the kitchen, he was hungry anyways. He put her sweater on her and got her a plate of spaghetti and he got one for himself too. They started eating in silence.  
"Why did you work out so long? You skipped two meals, that's not healthy" Sayoran asked worried.  
"I… I thought that I was fat" Sakura admitted  
"Why would you think that?" Sayoran questioned. "are you insane?"  
"You told me so," Realization washed over Sayoran "I thought that if I didn't work out and get skinnier I wouldn't fit into my dress for the ball and you would make fun of me."  
"Kino I didn't mean it when I said you were fat, I was joking. I just didn't want to tell you the truth" Sayoran stated  
"I know, I know, I'm am ugly, insane, mental hippo" Sakura declared and she kept repeating it to herself and ignored Sayoran telling her that it wasn't true. She said it so many times that she believed so strongly that she started to cry. Sayoran pulled her into a gentle hug  
"Shh… its okay… your not all those things, your beautiful, sane, and skinny" Sayoran chanted over and over until Sakura started to chant it too.  
"Sakura, I only said you were fat because I didn't want to tell you that I lost my concentration because of your perfect body." Sayoran confessed. "And why do you even listen to me anyways?"  
"You called me Sakura" She said dumbly  
"Yeah I did," Sayoran said stating the obvious  
"You can call me Sakura for now on okay?"  
"Okay Sakura, and you can call me Sayoran. Now can we please go to bed?" Sayoran yawned still holding Sakura  
"Sure and Sayoran you win this round, its 1 to 1" Sakura laughed. Sayoran carried Sakura to her room because she was so tired that when she walked she fell. He placed her on her bed and kissed her lightly on the forehead then he left her room and went to his own so that he would get some rest.  
"What a morning, what a day, what a night" Sayoran said to himself as he fell asleep.

**Yeah, not too much edited in this. Just a little of this and a little of that. Nothing too important.  
Jiade-103**


	4. Day 3

DIsclaimer : I do N O T own CCS or its charaters only the plot

Chapter 4.

August 3rd

Day 3.

Sakura woke up exceptionally early the next day. 7:00am. Sayoran usually wakes her up at 8. Pay pack time. Part of her wanted to just leave it even the other part of her wanted the score to be 2 to 1 for her. Sakura filled a bucket full of freezing cold water and even put some ice cubes in it. She dyed it yellow and made the ice cubes brown she put some noodles, olives and pickles in it and lugged the bucket to Sayoran's room when she got there she had a brilliant idea. She runs to the kitchen and grabs some syrup and some ketchup then she ran into the bathroom and got some shaving cream, toothpaste and hair gel. Next she went to her room and grabbed some her perfume. Finally she went to Sayoran's room. She started putting all the nasty things all over his body she was somewhat considerate and didn't put syrup in his hair. When she was finished he was covered in disgusting things all over his body. His hair had bin super gelled in big spikes and on the tips they had ketchup. He had shaving cream all over his face he looked like Santa Claus. His bare chest was covered in syrup with shaving cream and toothpaste on his nipples. And he smelt like sweet smelling perfume, yumm, yumm.

Then she put the bucket of gunk on top of his door so when he opens it, it will fall all over him. Sakura ran to her room and grabbed her video camera that Tomoyo gave her for her 16th birthday and video taped Sayoran sleeping like that. Last but not least in her brilliant plan a wake up drill.

"Ah! Sayoran wake up! Sayoran!" Sakura screamed as if she was dieing. Sayoran opened his eyes and jumped out of his bed. Sakura was video taping this while smiling like an idiot. Sayoran suddenly aware of all the gunk on him screamed. Sakura started laughing. He ran to the door and threw it open he was about to miss the water so Sakura had to do something.

"Sayoran! You didn't even look at me" Sakura screamed making him stop and look at her, bad idea the disgusting gunky water fell on him. He screamed again.

"Sakura! You little…" Sayoran yelled loudly making Sakura fall to the ground laughing and Yelan and Wei ran into the room to see the commotion. Sakura quickly got up and put her video camera in a safe spot. Luckily it was in a spot that showed the entire room. Sayoran walked over to Sakura and tacked her onto his bed and started tickling her. Now she had all the gunk on her too.

"Sayoran stop" Sakura giggled

"No way look what you did to me" Sayoran yelled

"Hey I was considerate, I didn't put syrup in your hair" Sakura told him while laughing

"Oh yeah real considerate" He said sarcastically and continued to tickle her. She the tackled him and ticked him. Then she got up and was trying to run away but Sayoran grabbed her by the waist and spun her around and then dropped her on the bed. After about a half hour they stopped and Sayoran went for a shower. Sakura took her video camera and went for a shower in her room. After 2 hours Sayoran came out of the shower with all the gunk off of him. He walked into the living room where Sakura was dressed in a new pair of pajamas and a teddy bear. With a bowl of popcorn and a blanket. 'She looks so cute' Sayoran thought.

"Umm... Sakura it's the middle of the day why are you acting like it's the middle of the night?" Sayoran asked.

"I just thought that me and you could have a movie day. We can watch movies all day and laugh. And what took you so long?" Sakura explained.

"The gel was impossible to get out! And that sounds good I'll be right there, and Yea you one that round" Sayoran said and walked to his bedroom to get some pajama pants on again he didn't wear a shirt. When he came back Sakura was sitting on the floor with her back against the couch and his mother was on the couch doing her hair in pig tails. Sayoran sat on the floor next to Sakura with the popcorn bowl.

"What movie are we watching" Sayoran asked

"I thought you might want to see what you looked like in my eyes this morning so you cant get too , too mad at me for laughing." Sakura explained as Yelan finished braiding her hair and disappeared into the mansion shutting the door behind her so that they pair could watch movies in peace. All the lights in the living room turned off and Sakura pressed play on the remote and there on the screen was Sayoran in Sakura's eyes. Sakura started laughing and leaned on Sayoran, who was also laughing. Soon they were both on the ground holding their stomachs. When the movie finished Sakura pressed a button on the remote and it changed to the movie The Man. All the movies they watched that night were comedy's Sakura thought that after everything they had gone through in the past few days it would be nice to have a wild laugh. During the night Sakura decided to start a war.

"Take that Sayoran" Sakura yelled throwing bunches of popcorn at Sayoran.

"Ha you miss--" Sayoran laughed, that was until Sakura shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth. The war went on like this for a while until Sakura put in a new movie and they watched it in peace. Eventually they grew tired but neither of them would admit it so what ended up happening was Sayoran fell asleep on the floor and Sakura fell asleep snuggled up to him. They had the blankets on and pillows. It was the perfect scene. And it just so happens that Yelan had ganged up with Tomoyo and turned on the security camera's in every room except the bedrooms and the bathrooms. So every thing the two did was recorded, even in the closets. Yelan had watched the video's of the two as they grew up quite often. They were the perfect couple and eventually she hoped they would be one.


	5. Day 4

Chapter 5

August 4th

Day 4

Sayoran slowly woke up, but he didn't open his eyes he never did, it was far more enjoyable to just sit there and take in the morning. He laid there listening to the things around him, feeling the very fibers of the room. There was a hard surface under him, there was a light weight on top of him moving slowly up and down. He could hear the silence of the house, his own breath and the slow breathing of the thing on him. Gently, he opened his eyes and gazed about the room.

'that ceiling is definitely not mine' he thought he looked to his left. 'that couch is not mine' he looked to the right; popcorn and movies. He resisted the urge to laugh at his idiocy. Oh yeah movie night. He felt a squeeze across his heart.

'don't tell me the thing on me is…' he looked down 'Sakura' Sayoran bit his lip to keep from making a sound. Her hand was clenched around his shirt. He smiled softly. She looked so peaceful. He looked around for a clock. 9:30 .He couldn't bring himself to get up. Sakura's head and arm was on his chest, his arm was around her waist. He couldn't do it, he couldn't ruin the moment, not this time. He tried to go back to sleep but of course he couldn't. Sakura finally woke up she looked down at the firm thing her head was. 'a stomach?' she thought. She felt an arm around her waist. 'oh no, don't tell me I fell asleep on Sayoran' Sakura cursed. She slowly sat up and looked at Sayoran.

"Morning sunshine!" Sayoran said "Have a good sleep?"

"Morning" Sakura growled.

"I slept very well thank you for asking." He said sarcastically. "Shall we eat brunch?" Sayoran asked

"Brunch? What time is it?" Sakura asked.

"Why my hunny-bunch its 10" Sayoran said and he got to his feet. "So shall we?" Sayoran asked holding his hand out for Sakura which she took.

"Thanks" Sakura said as the two started walking to the kitchen

"No problem" Sayoran replied.

"Why do we have these moments?" Sakura asked

"I have no idea. I think its just part of the whole 'you and me' thing we wouldn't be the same without the moments. Plus I just can't be mean to you all the time. You're too pretty" Sayoran swooned and then winked. Sakura blushed a little and giggled. They arrived at the kitchen Sakura was about to get some ingredients to make some pancakes and French toast but someone disagreed

"No sit. Sit. I'll make brunch today" Sayoran said and walked into the kitchen as the stunned Sakura sat on a chair. After a few minutes Sayoran arrived with pancakes, French toast and beacon, he put the food on the table and went back into the kitchen for some orange juice and root beer.

"yummy! Thank you Sayoran you're the best!" Sakura praised

"stop lying." Sayoran said.

"I'm not!" Sakura defended "and I'll prove it to you. You know me well enough"

"ok prove it" Sayoran challenged. Sakura walked right up to Sayoran and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for brunch Sayoran! You're the best" Sakura praised again and walked to her chair and started eating,

"fine you weren't lying, but you owe me one" Sayoran reluctantly said.

"Ok, lets make the score 2 to 2" Sakura said without hesitation. Sayoran's eyes shot wide open

"You get a point out of niceness." Sakura decided. "Now stop staring at me and eat". The two ate in silence and washed the dishes right as they finished and was about to go their separate ways there was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" Sayoran and Sakura yelled in unison, and ran to the door. Sayoran opened it with Sakura at his side. They both smiled. Sayoran's faded though.

"Oh great its you" Sayoran complained.

"Hey you can only say that to me!" Sakura scolded sarcastically

"Sorry hunny-buns" Sayoran apologized

"Your forgiven handsome, now who's this?" Sakura asked purposely acting like a lovey-dovey person.

"This is someone who's not important" Sayoran said plainly

"Sayoran! That was mean, you're supposed to respect women" Sakura scolded

"Who said that it was a woman?" Sayoran joked.

"Sayoran!" Sakura yelled. This was an act she and Sayoran put on when Sayoran didn't like the girl that was around them and she could tell that he didn't like her.

"I'm so sorry about my boyfriend, please excuse him" Sakura said to the girl who was practically naked. She was wearing a short, short skirt and a shirt that looked like a bra plus high heels.

"Your boyfriend? Sayoran doest date" the girl stated.

"No he doesn't date girls like you. He dates girls like me. Because I'm not a slut. What are you a hooker? Put some clothes on" Sakura retorted "It's not Halloween yet hunny."

"Now sugar just calm down. Breathe, breathe" Sayoran soothed but inside he was laughing hysterically.

"I'm sorry about my girlfriend, we have to go, have a good day" Sayoran said and slammed the door in her face.

"Yelan!" Sakura called. "Come see this!" Yelan gracefully ran to were Sakura was. There was another knock on the door. Yelan answered it.

"Sorry Sayoran's busy at the moment" Yelan said to the girl outside and then closed the door. She knocked again.

"Watch and learn" Sakura said and then Sayoran and Sakura answered the door smiling. Then Sayoran's smile faded again.

"Its you again, didn't we say get?" Sayoran asked

"I know that's not your girlfriend" She said

"Masumi, she is my girlfriend give up" Sayoran said

"Please Sayoran, call me Yumi, I would like that very much" she said sluttily.

"He will not call you Yumi! He only calls me by my first name and who said you could call him by his first name I didn't hear him say that. Right hunn?" Sakura scowled

"Your absolutely right darling" Sayoran pulled Sakura closer to him.

"I'm sorry but we have some business to attend to" Sayoran told the girl.

"Oh you mean in the bedroom?" the girl snarled.

"Oh no you didn't!" Sakura screamed and punched the girl in the face. "You better get out of here before I kick your ass!" Sakura screamed as the girl ran away. They closed the door and Sakura and Sayoran burst out laughing.

"Did you see her face?" Sakura said through laughs.

"Yeah! It was hilarious!" Sayoran said happily

"You two are cruel." Yelan bellowed

"We just wanted her to go away." Sakura said innocently

"And that was very clever of you, but she just wanted a date with Sayoran" Yelan explained

"Like hell I would go on a date with that whore" Sayoran screamed.

"You will I've already arranged it with her and her parents. And I advise you to get a date for the ball. Otherwise she will be it." Yelan explained emotionlessly

"WHAT?!" Sayoran screamed. "I certainly will not"

"Yes you will go on a date with her" Yelan ordered

"Yelan. I highly recommend that you cancel the date. You did not consult Sayoran about this and I personally don't find it fair that you can choose who he can and cannot date." Sakura stated in a business like way.

"If he does not date anyone than he will not find a date for the ball" Yelan explained strictly.

"I understand, but he already has a date for the ball" Sakura confided

"Is that so? And who might this young lady be?" Yelan asked suspiciously

"If I tell you her name will you promise not to make Sayoran go on anymore dates until at least after the ball? And that includes the date with Ms. Masumi" Sakura asked. Sayoran watched to two with much interest, Sakura was trying to bail him out.

"Oh course. I promise, anything to know who it is that my stubborn son has chosen. Now tell me who is the young woman?" Yelan asked obviously not in the least expecting that it was Sakura.

"Me" Sakura revealed. "And I am just as stubborn as he" Yelan's jaw dropped an inch when she heard this.

"Now if you don't mind, a promise is a promise. Sayoran is off the hook. And we will go and practice our dancing now. Bye Yelan" Sakura said and skipped off holding Sayoran's arm.

"Oh and mom. Sakura is NOT my girlfriend!" Sayoran yelled to his mother while being dragged into the huge living room to practice.

"Why did you bail me out?" Sayoran asked while him and Sakura were dancing the salsa.

"You've asked me that 1000 times! And the answer is just because okay?" Sakura said annoyed

"Not its not okay, I want you to tell me exactly why!" Sayoran yelled

"Just because!" Sakura yelled back and stopped dancing.

"Because why?" Sayoran asked again. There was two reasons why he kept asking. annoyed her to death and 2. it was so unlike her.

"Because Masumi's a bitch" Sakura said loudly

"Aw. Sakura wanted to save me from a horrible date because she loves me aw that's so cute" Sayoran teased.

"Get over yourself. You just wish that I loved you because I'm the only one that you can hang out with without having drool all over your hideous body" Sakura retorted

"Get over myself? Get over yourself! You think that my body is hideous its gorgeous. Your body is even more disgusting and hideous!" Sayoran fumed

"Oh really is that so. I seem to recall you telling the that my body was amazing" Sakura replied angrily

"I only said that because you were killing yourself!"

"Oh and that's the reason you let your punching bag hit you in the face? And why would you care if I died anyways?"

"Because I need you to be my date for the ball. Duh!" Sayoran exclaimed

"Oh so I'm just a toy? Well fuck you!" Sakura screamed and stormed out of the living room and went to her room

"That didn't go well" Sayoran said to himself and walked off to his room.

"DINNER!" A voice echoed throughout the mansion. Sakura and Sayoran had cooled down and sat down at the dinner table. After Yelan left to finish up some work Sayoran glanced at Sakura. She was just lightly turning her food. Suddenly 'WAM'. Sayoran started laughing as Sakura lifted her head slightly. She had a huge chunk of fettuccini oh the side of her face. Sayoran was still laughing until 'WAM' a glob of mashed potatoes was on his forehead dripping down his face. It was Sakura's turn to laugh.

"Oh my god Sayoran, you should've seen your face its was so hilari--" Sayoran threw another chunk of food at Sakura. Hence a food fight started. Sakura and Sayoran were covered in food.

"You are going down Sayoran!" Sakura said confidently dodging a wad of mashed potato's and noodles. She made her way on top of the table and she was about to stuff a handful of gunk in Sayoran's face and Sayoran was sitting in his chair calmly with noodles in his hair falling over his face about to throw more pashed potatoes at Sakura but that all got interrupted.

Ding Dong. The doorbell rang. The two froze on the spot. Sakura on all fours and Sayoran sitting still they slowly turned their heads to the kitchen door. Tomoyo and Eriol were standing there holding hands. Sakura was the first one to snap out of her daze the smothered Sayoran's face in gunk and then sat down and slyly gathered two large handfuls of mashed potato's and threw them at Eriol and Tomoyo's faces.

"Oh my god! You guys look so stupid" Sakura giggled

"Sakura.." Eriol said in a threatening tone.

"You know what Eriol? Let's join forces and murder her" Sayoran suggested evilly

"Uh Oh" Sakura said out loud

"Don't worry Saku I'll be on your team." Tomoyo said racing to Sakura's side.

"Thanks Momo" Sakura thanked happily and got off the table. As both teams huddled this is what they came up with.

S+T – Take as much food as possible, flip the table so it's a shield, grab food and charge

S+E – Take all the food on the table and throw.

"okay? Ready?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura nodded

"Break!" The 2 teams said at once.

"You are so going down!" Sayoran mocked.

"No you're going down" Sakura retorted

"Never!" Sayoran yelled

"Sayoran, calm down it's just a stupid food fight" Eriol, being the only mellow one there, breathed

"Just a stupid food fight?" Sayoran asked annoyed "Just a stupid food fight?!" He said again getting angry "Just a stupid.." Sayoran rolled his eyes and then WHAM! He threw a giant slump of potatoes in Eriol's face.

"Are you stupid?!" Sayoran screamed… This is NOT JUST a food fight! You're such an idiot! This is a food fight to determine who's better, the guys or the girls! But you must be a girl because you are a fucking moron!"

"Hey!!" Sakura and Tomoyo said defensively at once

"I am not a moron!" Sakura said angrily

"Me either!" Tomoyo added

"Of course you aren't Tomoyo, my precious, baby, honey" Eriol said sucking up. Tomoyo is not a good person to piss off.

"Traitor!" Sayoran yelled

"Suck up!" Sakura yelled. Tomoyo started grabbing the bowls of food she put all of them on the floor beside her, all except one. She put her hand in the goop and took a hand full. After about 3 tries she finally hit Eriol

"Why is everyone trying to hit me?" Eriol whimpered

"Because you're a moron" Sakura stated. "You of all people should know NOT to piss of Tomoyo"

"Yeah but" Eriol started

"And you're a fucking retard, trying to suck up" Sayoran added happily

"But you guys do it all the time" Eriol said. Sakura and Sayoran froze. Tomoyo was supposed to be clueless when it came to them annoying Tomoyo, which they did a lot. Silence came over them and Tomoyo started to get angry.

"Oh! And that time you took Tomoyo's camera" Eriol watched Tomoyo's face get red with anger "And she found you guys in the closet, with Sakura on top of you. What were you two doing?" Eriol asked, suddenly Tomoyo's face turned into a look of extreme evil.

"Yeah Sakura. What where you doing on top of our dear heartthrob Sayoran?" Tomoyo asked. A faint blush appeared on Sakura's face but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. She hoped no one saw it but Tomoyo sees all.

"Heartthrob?" Sakura asked sarcastically. "If you think sayoran's such a hottie then why don't you go out with him instead of Eriol. Oh wait you're not going out with Eriol your just in love with him oops did I say that out loud?" Sakura said rudely. Tomoyo blushed like crazy but so did Eriol.

"You still didn't answer her question" Eriol interrupted

"Oh yeah. In the closet. Oh I just love Sayoran sooooo much that when we had the one moment alone I just had to kiss him, he's just so irresistible I love him sooooo much you have no idea." Sakura said sarcastically but there has a hint on truth in her eyes that went unnoticed.

"Really?" Tomoyo asked

"Yup! We were just having a magnificent make-out session while dear Tomoyo was on a war rampage." Everyone including Sayoran's jaws dropped to the ground. Sakura looked at everyone "No! are you stupid! We didn't do anything! I just fell on top of him that's all. It was dark in the closet I swear someone must have taken over all of your brains, with the exception of Sayoran because he's naturally stupid." Now Sakura wasn't the best at telling lies and most of the time you could tell but everyone was to busy letting something take over their minds that they didn't notice. "Sayoran could I talk to you for a second?" Sakura asked sweetly. Sayoran nodded dumbly. When they walked away Tomoyo snapped out of her daze and started twirling happily.

"Are you okay?" Eriol asked

"Fantastic!" Tomoyo shrieked

"okay?" Eriol asked confused

"Sakura, has a crush on Sayoran!" Tomoyo shrieked again but louder it echoed throughout the mansion. Fortunately for Sakura, she was in the shower and didn't hear Tomoyo's out burst. Unfortunately Sayoran did hear and walked back towards the kitchen acting like he didn't hear a thing.

"How do you know?" Eriol asked not realizing that Sayoran was right there

"Because when I asked her what she was doing in the closet she blushed slightly and not very long but she blushed!" Tomoyo whispered loudly.

"uh hem" Sayoran cleared his throat.

--

**So, that's another lame edit. I'm just making sure that everything makes sense in the end. Otherwise it's like.. "But you said this in chapter 3 and now you say this in chapter 20." **

**Anyways, thank you everyone for your reviews, I love them. There are so many hits on this fic it's ridiculous so thank you also to all the readers! **

**As always, Review ONLY if you want to. Ttfn!**

**Jiade-103**


	6. Day 5

Chapter 6

Day 5

August 5th

"Good Morning!" Sakura said cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

"Good Morning Sakura" Yelan and Wei said in unision. Sakura smiled happily and sat down in front of a stack of fresh made pancakes.

"Where's Sayoran?" Sakura asked

"Right here" Sayoran said groggily taking a seat and digging in

"Morning' Sayoran!" Sakura sad cheerfully. Sayoran ignored her still thinking of the events that happened yesturday. 'does kinomoto really like me? thats not cool! how can I tell her I dont like her? I dont want to hurt her feelings that much. Im not that mean.' While sayoran was in his own little world sakura was looking at him questionably and waving her hands infront of his face. No good he didnt budge.

"SAYORAN!" Sakura yelled

"What do you want?" Sayoran said emotionlessly. snapping out of his daze

"Finally you return back tot he real world!" sakura said as if she was exausted.

"Whatever" he said and walked away

"Whats his problem?" Sakura asked

"I have no idea" Wei said

"Oh well I guess I'll just let him be " Sakura said sadly and walked back to her room. For hours she stayed in her room just relaxing. Listening to her music on full blast. It was Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson. Sakura was laying on her back looking up at the ceiling. 'why did he just walk away. did I do something wrong? I don't like him but I dont hate him all the time either. I'm starting to get worried. what if something happened and hes traumatized or petrified.' Sakura was thinking of all the stupid things that could've happened to Sayoran ' or maybe he almost got hit by a bus' Sakura continued thinking

"Mom. Where's Sakura?" Sayoran asked curiously.

"In her room I believe she's bin in there all day. its horrifying" Her mother said sadly

"why's she in her room?" Sayoran questioned

"She thinks you're mad at her" She answered and gracefully walked away. Sayoran walked towards sakura's room.

"Or maybe some crazy, fat, ugly madman raped him and he 's to upset to talk to anyone. Poor Poor sayoran" Sakura thought aloud.

"Excuse me?!" Sayoran shouted as he bargged in sakura's room

"oh nothing. i was just thinking of all the terrible things that could've happened to you to make you not want to talk to me anymore. its none of your business and have you ever heard of privacy? You should learn to knock first you madman. Oh my god you were werent you? you were raped by some hideous, ugly, annoying, fat, no gigantic, sick , mad--"

"No! you Madwoman!" Sayoran yelled

"oh its worse than i thought! a madwoman raped you? Thats discusting!" Sakura explained making a discusted face

"NO! your the mad woman!" Sayoran screamed pushin sakura backwords so she fell on her bed.

"i beg your pardan i certainly am not ! i did not rape you!" Sakura screamed

"I didnt say you did! OMG your hopeless! You are a madwoman. i was NOT raped and you are crazy!"

"Oh no! your in denial! its okay sayoran just let it go.. i know that you dont want to talk about it. but you have to get it off your chest eventually. why not now? And i am NOT a madwoman i did not rape you!" sakura lectured

"Oh my god sakura. i was not raped. im not in denial. obviously u ddnt rape me because i didnt get raped"

"Then why werent you tlaking to me? obviously its becuase you got raped" sakura said in a matter-of-fact-way

" I did not get raped! your soooooo stupid! did you ever think that maybe i wasnt talking to you because i over heard tomoyo say that you liked me" Sayroan screamed losing all self control "oops". Sakura stared at him dot eyed. and then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Tomoyo said that? A-a-and you believed her?" Sakrua said while rolling around laughing

"I obviously dont have a crush on you. Thats h-h-hilarious!... Ow my tummy .. but i cant stop laughing"

Sayoran blushed slightly. " So you dont like me" Sayoran asked

"Of course not!" Sakura said breathing heavily trying not to laugh agian

"Phew! thats a relief!" Sayoran sighed. Sakura looked at him and smirked.

"What?" he asked confused. when sakura smirked it was never something good

"Sayoran" Sakura said suductivley. sayoran gulped

"Sakura…" Sayoran said shakily. its true he has amazing self control. but if kinomoto sakura started hitting on him then he might just lose it. and the fact that she was in extreme short shorts that didnt cover her entire ass like major daisy dukes and a white tank top that he could see her baby blue bra through. those double d's , that body and that ass .. whew he might just lose it all!

"But sayoran , cant you tell that I want you?" Sakura whispered as she pressed her body against sayoran wrapping her arms around his neck. Sayoran blushed furiously. Sakura continueing to pretend to like suducing him. she started to lick up the side of his face gently.

" I know you like it sayoran." Sakura whispered gently in his ear smiling a bit.

"Sakura come on cut it out" Sayoran ordered though he couldnt hide the fear in his voice. Sakura looked at him straight in the eye she had the look of pure lust all over her face..

"Why? Scared you'll lose your self control?" Sakura taunted sexily. she licked the side of his face again. "dont worry i trust you" Sakura whispered in his ear. Sayoran couldn't take it anymore he was just about to kiss her when sakura started laughing and fell on her bed.

"You shoulda seen your face!" she laughed " I swear i can make you lose your self control in just 5 minutes thats pretty good." Sakyra said and then blew on her nails and rubbed then against her shirt as if she was shining them.

"That wasnt funny sakura" Sayoran growled

"oo im so scared" Sakrua said "All i have to do is give u one little kiss and i could make you do whatever i want.." Sayoran immeiatly backed away.. "night sakura."

"Night love" Sakura said all lovey dovey and sayroan ran out of the room closing the door behind him. Sakura giggled softly

"What a lunatic."

--

**Another Edit. I didn't really edit anything. Just the ending "What a lunatic." So.. yeah.**

**Jiade-103**


	7. Day 6

I am SOOOOO sorry for not updating. So to make up for it I'm giving you TWO chapters instead of my usual one :P ..

Yeah you all know I do not own CCS or the characters blah, blah, blah. And now the story !! YAY !!

Chapter 7

Day 6

August 6th

"You know what Sayoran?" Sakura asked

"What?"

"I think that… that… I could've made you fall for me yesterday if I wanted to." Sakura said confidently with a taunting look on her face.

"Yeah right!" Sayoran said loudly "You couldn't make me fall for you if your life depended on it" He said trying to cover up the fact that she could without any trouble get him to fall for her. It wasn't that hard. She was as most guys would say perfect. And last night freaked him out just a bit. If she hadn't started laughing then he would've kissed her and would never live it down.

Sakura snorted. They were sitting on the couch in the living room just talking the TV was on but they weren't watching it.

"Plus Sakura. You're the one who kissed ME in the closet remember" Sayoran said trying to change the subject without being too obvious

"But that was because you wouldn't stop laughing! I could've left you in there with the video camera took the tape and ran and you could've gotten beaten into a bloody pulp by Tomoyo! But no I was nice enough to save your ass by doing something I didn't want to do!" Sakura screamed.

"Oh I know you liked it!" Sayoran said huskily and put on his sexy look.

"I did not! Why would you say that! And take that sad excuse of a 'sexy look' of your face you look like a constipated pig" Sakura exclaimed. "not that you don't always look that way" she mumbled to herself Sayoran caught it but decided to let it slip.

"Oh so you like my sexy look" He said winking. Sakura made a gagging noise "And id say that you liked that kiss because of the way you 'tenderly' put your tongue in my mouth invading my personal space"

"EXCUSE ME?!" A voice screamed before Sakura could retort. They both turned to the entrance to see Yelan Who had obviously screamed for she dropped her coffee which smashed to pieces at the hard impact of the tiled floor, Tomoyo who was struggling not to say 'Kawaii' and Meling who was about to freak out with the angry look on her face.

"See what your lies did?!" Sakura screamed

"But it wasn't a lie. You did kiss me" Sayoran said calmly "You cant deny it"

"I wasn't going to but you kissed me back you fool! I was just trying to shut you up so Tomoyo wouldn't kill us! And I didn't stick my tongue in your mouth. You stuck your tongue in my mouth contaminating me and invading my personal space!" Sakura retorted. Letting the truth spill out. "And I'm surprised you didn't lose control like you did last night when you barged into MY room!"

Sayoran had a shocked look on his face. She just had to bring that up. And add the 'in her room' part now everyone's going to freak.

"Kinomoto. I am going to KILL YOU" Meling screamed and started chasing Sakura around. Sakura started screaming as she ran in circles around the living room.

"HOW DARE YOU KISS MY SAYORAN!" Sakura took a quick glance at Tomoyo who was about to burst.

"Sayoran see what you did?" Sakura screamed still running

"Sorry I didn't know they were listening!" Sayoran was the only one calm. Meling was threatening to rip Sakura's tongue out, Tomoyo was bursting with happiness, and Yelan wouldn't move from everything she just heard. Sure there was camera's everywhere but she hadn't watched any of them yet she was too busy. Sakura ran over to Yelan and grabbed her hand. Yelan looked at her.

"come on hurry." Sakura said dragging Yelan out of the room into the furthest room she could get too within 10 seconds. "Damn we're not far enough! Plug your ears" Sakura said. Yelan didn't budge "Plug your ears!" Sakura ordered this time Yelan did as was told.

"Don't uncover your ears until all you hear is silence got it?" Yelan nodded and Sakura ran off to the living room.

"Everyone run for cover! Plug you ears! Now!" Sakura screamed. Meling didn't know what was going on and just stood there in the middle of the living room with her hands by her side as she watched Sakura and Sayoran run and hide behind the couch with their ears covered.

"Ha you stupid idiots! What are you hiding from" Meling laughed

"3" Sakura started

"Yeah that's right hide from me 'cause I am the mighty MELING!" She praised herself

"2" Sayoran added

"Why the hell are you counting?" She asked dazed

"1" They finished in unison

"Ha nothing happened you retarded peo--"

She was cut of with a very loud scream from Tomoyo

"KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" This scream was no ordinary scream this scream could rattle the earth. Yelan was okay cause she listened to what Sakura said but she was a little shaken up. Sakura was fabulous cause she was in Sayoran's arms as he held her protectively and one side of her head was right against Sayoran's so that covered one of his ears and then her hands covered the other one and her other one so they were all good! But Meling. Poor, Poor Meling if she had only listened. She was in the fetal position on the floor crying cause her ears hurt so bad. And her eyes were closed as she chanted 'make it stop, make it stop, make it stop. Long after Tomoyo had finished.

"Kawaii, Kawaii, Kawaii, Kawaii" Tomoyo said over again as she bounced around happily. Sakura and Sayoran walked over to Meling and helped her up. After much protests from Sayoran. When she could stand she glared daggers at Sakura while she held onto Sayoran tightly. If looks could kill Sakura would be WAY past 6 feet under with maggots crawling around in her empty skull.

"See this is why I didn't want to help her up now shes going to be clinging to me all day and probably the rest of my life." Sayoran complained trying to shake the girl off. Sakura giggled lightly at the scene

"What a hideous giggle" Meling said nastily "Sayoran is mine! I'm going to marry him so stay away!"

"Actually Meling, Sayoran is my best friend and its my duty to make sure that he doesn't get hurt, right Sayoran?" Sakura lied calmly

"Yeah that's right. And I think her giggle is quite cute actually Meling" Sayoran added. Sakura giggled again but not on purpose.

"But Say-Say I love you" Meling said pouting.

"Ah!" Sayoran screamed

"What?" Sakura asked

"PITIFL POUT! PITUFUL POUT!" he screamed again pointing at Meling. Sakura started giggling uncontrollably.

"Well Sayoran I think you've got yourself a soul mate." Sakura said pretending to analyze the situation. "And a bed buddy"

"Ewe! Get off of me you crazy madwoman!" Sayoran yelled.

"Oh so she's the madwoman we were talking about eh. I'm so, so sorry Sayoran. I didn't know it was her! The other night must've bin worse than I thought" Sakura joked

"You were talking about me?" Meling asked

"Yup! I knew you were crazy but I didn't know you were a rapist too" Sakura laughed skipping away.

"Get back here you bitch! I did not rape my Sayoran you cant rape the willing!" She screamed. Sakura stopped turned around and she was laughing but there was an unusual rage in her eyes that no one noticed

"Your right Meling" Sayoran said in a lustful tone. Every stared at him "and I am certainly NOT WILLING NOW GET OFF OF ME!" he screamed trying to pry her off him.

"Oh Meling. I forgot to tell you something. You're a whore"

"I am not!" Meling shouted.

"You my your right! Whores get paid." Sakura said. That did it. Meling finally let go and broke off the leg of a chair and started chasing Sakura. Sakura ran but on her way out of the living room she screamed something no one was expecting to hear.

"You're Welcome Sayoran! For prying this bitch off of you, don't forget to come to my funeral" Everyone thought that she had called her all those names for no reason just cause she felt like it. Guess not.

"You slut! I am not a bitch!" Meling said running out of the room. "and he will not come to your funeral cause well have our wedding on the day of your funeral. He doesn't love you enough to go to your funeral. He's not your superman he's mine." Sayoran heard all of that and ran to see what Sakura would say. Sakura had stopped running, they were way down the hall. And Meling had the chair leg in the air.

"Seems that I hit a soft spot eh?" Meling taunted "I new it. I knew you liked him"

"You don't know how wrong you are. And Meling. Your right he's not my superman. He's my Spiderman. Superman's gay. Sakura said sticking her tongue out. And was about to run when she realized she was at a dead end. She looked in Meling's raging eyes. Sayoran had walked back into the living room for a second cause Tomoyo wanted to talk to him. Yelan had gone back to her study so no one was watching the girls.

"So Sayoran do you like Sakura?" Tomoyo asked

"No. She's not really even my friend, we're off and on" Sayoran said

"I think that love is blossoming between you and Sakura just you two don't see it yet" Tomoyo Said voicing her opinion.

"I don't think so" Sayoran denied

Meanwhile

Meling was beating Sakura with the chair leg but Sakura didn't make a noise just little grunts of pain.

"Now where's your Spiderman you weakling!" Meling said harshly. As the hateful words kept coming Sakura started get angrier and angrier until she punched Meling in the cheek leaving an immediate bruise.

"You bitch!" Meling screamed silently and started beating Sakura harder and harder until Sakura couldn't take the pain anymore. And was about to pass out. With bruises all over her body and a few cuts where the rough edges scrapped her delicate skin.

Tomoyo finished questioning Sayoran and he was about to leave the living room when a question popped into Tomoyo's head.

"Sayoran! If you had to choose between dating Meling for an hour or Dating Sakura for a year which would you choose?"

Sayoran paused. Dating Meling for an hour would be hell.. obviously with her clinginess and wanting to kiss him every second. But dating Sakura for a year wouldn't be too bad cause she knows how to keep her distance but he wouldn't want to ruin what they have, whatever that is. He was about to say he didn't know when he heard a sudden

"See how helpless you are?!" that was Meling's voice.

"Tomoyo I do--" He started "Sakura!" Relization dawned on him and he ran out just in time to see Sakura start to fall to the ground and Meling pick her up again and Punch her in the face. Sakura saw Sayoran running up. But blackness started to overwhelm her the only thing she could say was a simple word.

"Sayoran" she whispered faintly almost ghostly as she met the hard floor. Blood oozing out of her mouth and delicate skin. Finally she became unconscious.

"How dare you say his name in my presence hes mine you hear me mine!" She screamed and was about to hit her again. When someone grabbed her arm. She turned around slowly expecting Sayoran to be there holding her arm glaring at her. But no instead she came in contact with a hard fist.

"That's what you get for beating on my best friend!" Tomoyo yelled

(A/N: Bet you weren't expecting that)

"Wow Tomoyo I didn't know you could punch like that!" Sayoran praised as he cradled Sakura gently in his arms but before she could say thanks she looked in his eyes and instead of seeing tenderness she saw sorrow and guiltiness. The bruises all over Sakura's body were gigantic and dark. Sayoran pretty much forgot Tomoyo was there and hugged Sakura closer to him rubbing his face gently against hers. "I'm so sorry" He whispered and walked away towards Sakura's room.

He placed Sakura on her bed and walked into her bathroom grabbing a cloth which he damped, rubbing alcohol and Band-Aids. He walked back into Sakura's room and started to tend her wounds. When he was finished he put everything away and sat on the floor next to her bed. He put his hand on hers. Sakura was awake. But she couldn't move her body. She could hear everything that was going on she could feel everything that was happening but she couldn't do anything. She didn't know who it was that cleaned her up or who was holding her hand.

Tomoyo was walking to Sakura's room when she heard something. She opened the door a crack and saw Sayoran sitting there beside Sakura. Waiting for her to wake up. She just stood there and watched.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry" He said sincerely "If I hadn't agreed to talk to Tomoyo I could've saved you from getting hurt this bad. I know you could've fought back. Why didn't you? You could've taken her out with one shot. But you only gave her one bruise. And you didn't make a sound. Why? If you had I could've come and saved you. I could've saved you from all this pain. You know I would've. How many times have I saved you without a second thought? Why Sakura? Why did you let her do this to you?"

Tomoyo stood there at stared at the scene. He did care about her. It was clear that she cared for him. But she still couldn't figure out if it was going to go anywhere. Sometimes they are so happy together and then the next they're fighting. Little did she know that Meling was standing near the room and heard what Sayoran had said also. And it tore her to pieces that he would go to her rescue but not hers.

Sakura on the other hand finally figured out who the voice belonged to. 'Sayoran.' She thought 'I'm sorry. I didn't want you to know that she was hurting me. It would've caused you pain I didn't want you to get mad at Meling. She was just jealous of nothing.' How she ached to scream these words out.

"I'm so, so sorry Sakura." His voice cracked a bit. And a tear fell down his face onto her hand and more followed.

'tears' Sakura thought 'I've never seen him cry. Not when is dog died, not when his dad passed away, not when his mom leaves him to stay in the mansion alone for months. And now, he's crying over me. Let me open my eyes. Or at least my mouth please! I want, no I need to tell him not to cry! Please! Sayoran! Sayoran! Sayoran!' she screamed in her head over again. She could feel his head against her hand now and she could hear is quiet sobs.

Tomoyo could tell he was crying. He had never cried before so this was scary for her. Tomoyo silently closed the door with her head down.

"I never knew he could cry" she said to herself and walked down the hall and left the lonesome mansion.

Meling heard her words and gasped.

"He cries for her?" She said sadly and quietly opened the door and saw that what she heard was true. Sure enough she could see Sayoran with his head down, his hand still on Sakura's and she saw a little wet spot on the carpet floor where his tears were falling. She closed the door and ran to Yelan's study crying ,to tell her everything, her problems, what she did, how her heart got broken after seeing a single tear from her only loves eyes hit the floor.

"Sakura please forgive me." Sayoran wept

'Please! Let me say I forgive him! Let me tell him that it wasn't his fault!' she battled to get her voice back 'Sayoran! Sayoran! Sayoran!'

"Sayoran" Sakura whispered sure it wasn't what she wanted her voice to sound like she wanted to scream it out she wanted to scream 'Sayoran! It wasn't your fault!' but this will work.

"Sakura?" Sayoran asked. Thinking he just imagined it.

"Sayoran" She whispered again.

"Sakura!" Sayoran hugged the girl in front of him

"Sayoran, it wasn't your fault. I didn't say anything or make a noise while she was beating me because I didn't want you to get mad at her. I didn't want you to not like her. She loves you so much. I figured that if I let her beat me up then she could have the feeling that she was the best and she wouldn't think I was a threat. But she didn't stop. Please don't get mad at her." Sakura begged

"Same ol' Sakura eh? How could you want me to not get mad at her look what she did to you. You have more bruises than ever seen on one person. You're going to be in pain for a long time."

"I'll always be the same ol' me. I don't want you to get mad at her because she was just trying to prove that she was the best. I gave her that feeling. Sayoran she loves you. And I know I'm going to be in pain. But I've got you to take care of me remember"

Sayoran chucked a bit "Yeah I'll take care of you. That's what friends are for. And I wont get mad at her. Or I'll try not to. But just for you okay?"

Sakura smiled and her eyes finally opened.

"Thank you. And Sayoran I know you don't love her. But she loves you just try to be nicer to her. I know that her being clingy annoys you but why don't you just tell her and maybe she wont be as clingy you might even grow to like her." Sakura suggested

"I'll try that but I doubt that I'll actually grow to like her"

"Thank you, for being here by my side."

"No problem"

"Sayoran. I hate to be the one to tell you this because I know you were probably trying to keep it a secret. But I mid as well say thank you for this too it means a lot to me"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sayoran" Sakura said in a low voice barley audible "Thank you for shedding your tears for me"

Sayoran gasped he didn't know that she knew that he cried. He looked into her warm emerald eyes.

"I know you did that because you felt guilty I could hear everything you said I just couldn't move or say anything in my head I was begging to be able to just find my voice so I could say sorry"

"Why should you have to say sorry?"

"Because it was my fault that you had to cry, it was my fault that Meling hurt me, it was my fault that all this happened"

"No its not. Stop thinking like that. You always blame everything on yourself. I hate to say this but you're the nicest person I know. Seriously telling me not to get mad at the person that beat you for no apparent reason. That's a pretty nice thing to do. And I didn't have to cry. I just did. Tonight. You were worth my tears."

"Thank you" Sakura said.

"No problem. But I'm going to go to sleep now. I'll come see you in the morning. Okay?"

"That's fine I'm tired anyways." Sayoran got up to leave when Sakura suddenly grabbed his hand. He turned and looked at her questionably. Bending over slightly to see what was wrong. But before he could open his mouth to say anything or do anything for that matter Sakura had gabbed his shirt and pulled him down until her silky cherry lips met his soft peach ones. Sayoran was shocked but he closed his eyes and savored their kiss (A/N: NO TONGUE PEOPLE ITS JUST A PECK A LONG ONE ,With that 'lip smack sound when they part you know like then you kiss your fingers and it makes that sound) when they parted Sakura smiled and so did Sayoran.

"What was that for?" Sayoran asked

"That was for always being there for me even when I didn't ask you to" Sakura replied.

"Well thanks" Sayoran said not knowing how to respond

"No problem" Sakura said and then felt her self closing her eyes and beginning falling into a deep slumber

"Night Sakura" Sayoran said as he was about to close the door

"Good Night Sayoran" Sakura said sleepily and then she was lost in her own peaceful world.

When Sayoran closed the door he came face to face with the last people he wanted to see. Meling. And His Mother.

"Did you just kiss her?" Meling asked

"No" Sayoran lied

"Sayoran don't lie" His mother persisted

"I didn't! she kissed me" He confined

"Sayoran your not mad at me are you?" Meling asked

"No" Sayoran Sighed but deep inside he wanted to scream YES!

"Your not?!" Meling asked already knowing the answer because he and Yelan heard His and Sakura's conversation from the moment she woke up till now.

"No"

"Why?"

"Because a little angel told me not to be" He said almost laughing at the thought of Sakura being an angel but he kept his straight face.

"You mean Sakura?" Yelan asked

"Yeah" Sayoran said "And how long have you bin standing here for?"

"Oh ever since Sakura woke up" Meling said trying to sound innocent

"What?!" He yelled silently not wanting to wake Sakura up

"Yeah how's our little cry baby doing?" Meling said in a baby voice. Sayoran started to steam

"Meling that's enough! Sayoran hasn't cried for a long time he is not a cry baby!" Yelan almost yelled.

"Mom! Be quiet Sakura's trying to sleep!" Sayoran whispered harshly the harshest tone he's ever spoken to his mother in. Both Meling and Yelan Went silent.

"Thank you. Now id really like to go to sleep its bin a long day. And Meling. Don't even think about waking or doing anything to MY little angel in her sleep you're the one that made her that way anyways" and with that Sayoran walked off to his room not quite grasping what he just said and leaving 2 women in the middle of the hall way who realized something not even he had realized and my never will. He was slowly falling for Sakura.

Hey Everyone !! I'm so sorry that don't update a lot. And I'm sorry that this chapee was so sad but theres going to be around 30 chapters (I hope if I don't get lazy) and so I need to 'stall' so to say until the chapters 15-17 (the ball) I have something totally awesome planned for that. But that's a long way away.

Thanks for reviewing and if your hooked yet :P when I'm not updating instead of freaking out lol why don't you check out chibi angelle's stories their awesome !! and check out a story called fallen through. Thanks.


	8. Day 7

Chapter 8

Day 7

August 7th

It was early in the morning. Around 4 when Sakura awoke. Barely being able to move she made her way to the bathroom. After doing her business she checked her reflection in the mirror. There she saw a girl. Not just any kind of girl. An angel. A concrete angel. Bruises all over her body, a black eye, and a small cut on her plump lips. She looked like something hollow. But beautiful. Like a statue. Realizing she was still in her skirt, tank top and sweater from yesterday she slowly changed into her pajama bottoms and brushed her teeth she would take a shower later. She walked back into her room and saw something she hadn't when she got up. A note. She picked it up it said:

_Dear Sakura. _

_By the time you get this it will probably be around noon._

"Wrong" She said out loud and kept reading

_By then my mom will be gone on a business trip and wont be back until the day before the ball. _

"Oh my god she leaving?" She asked herself

_Meling will also be gone for she will be returning to Hong Kong. And at 11:30 I will have left to go to a hotel opening on behalf of my mother. I hate those things. I would've woken you up to come with me but I'm afraid that you are injured to badly and wouldn't want to ride on a plane for an hour an a half and then go to boring meetings and eat gourmet food and blah, blah, blah._

"Wrong again!" She said excitedly

_So I'm sorry I left you behind with no one there except the maids and butlers because Wei is accompanying my mother. So I'm going alone._

"Not if I can help it"

_I'll be back around11 or 12. cause I have to go to a party after._

_Sayoran _

After reading the note she looked at the clock 4:30. "It's so early and this clock doesn't have an alarm on it" Sakura said frustrated. Then she had an idea. She picked up a piece of paper from her desk and wrote her own letter.

_Dear Sayoran._

_I got your letter and you were WAY wrong. I woke up at 4 am. And I've decided I want to go with you! When you wake up I will be right beside you because I don't have an alarm on my clock and I didn't want to miss the plane so I thought id just sleep next to you as weird as that sounds. Please don't freak out. Cause you might hit one of my many bruised spots and then I might be in a lot of pain. _

_Your favorite person in the ENTIRE world_

_Sakura _

After reading over the letter she called down to the butlers down stairs

"Hello" One answered

"Hi I'ts Sakura"

"Oh good morning Ms. Kinomoto"

"Please call me Sakura, and would you happen to know what time Sayoran will be waking up this morning?"

"Why yes Sakura. He will be waking up at 7 am"

"Thank you so much!" Sakura said

"Your welcome Sakura, is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"No thank you"

"okay good bye Sakura

"Good bye" and she hung up and dialed another number

"Hello this is the LMOC how may I help you?" A cheerful lady answered

"Hello! This is Kinomoto Sakura, Li Sayoran's guest. We're going on a trip at 11:30 this morning and I have to look professional and well sexy. Is there anything you can do for me?"

"Oh course! You are Mister Li's guest. May I ask you what size you take in shirts, pants ,dresses and shoes please?" the lady asked

"Id be delighted. I take a medium shirt sometimes. Because between us ladies if I don't have a medium then my bust is too tight but that also means that no one can see how flat my tummy is."

"I understand I have the perfect type of clothes for that"

"That's great! Umm. I take size 3 pants depending what type they are cause sometimes size 3 wont cover by butt.

"Wow! Sounds like you have the perfect body and people don't make clothes for the perfect body. But don't worry we do."

"You are the best! Dresses I take size 0-3 you know why. And shoes I take size 6 and a half."

"Thank you hmm I think I know what you look like. I've seen a few pictures of a girl around your sizes in pictures with Mister Li. Porcelain color skin?"

"Yes but I have bruises all over my body Sayoran's cousin Meling didn't like the fact that me and Sayoran are friends and kind of beat me up. So you might need a lot of cover up. Just to warn you."

"That's terrible! But we can make it look like that never happened we have the perfect cover up for you and to make sure that everything is perfect we will have 5 people working on your body to make you look better than anyone else that Mister Li has ever seen."

"Thank you. Could you please come up anytime after 7?"

"We'll be there at 7:30 am sharp"

"Oh and I don't want him to notice anything. I want to surprise him so can you call before you come and ask for Kinomoto Sakura please?"

"Oh of course."

"Thank you very much I have to go now though bye"

"Good bye Ms. Kinomoto."

And the conversation was over. It was now 5:15 am.

"time for a little shut eye." Sakura yawned, grabbed the note and tip toed to Sayoran's room. She opened the door quietly and saw Sayoran with the covers around his waist letting the moonlight shine on his naked abs. (A/N : did I mention that Sayoran always sleeps with his shirt off)

"Damn" Sakura whispered. "he looks even better in the moonlight" Walking over to Sayoran she placed the note on the table beside him and checked and made sure his alarm was set to 7 and it was. She tip toed to the other side of his king sized bed and pulled back the emerald green covers and slipped in. she felt kind of cold so she cuddled up to Sayoran's strong back. Wrapping one arm around his chest and the other was under her head hoisting it up an inch. Like that she fell asleep.

The alarm went off and Sayoran woke up groaning he wanted to sleep more. He was not looking forward the screaming Sakura was going to give him when he got back. He turned off his alarm with his right hand subconsciously holding onto something with his left. And then he saw the note. He picked it up and read it again with one hand. And then looked to his left. And sure enough there was Sakura, head on his chest and arm on his chest too. Then he felt her moving a bit and then her eyes shot open and she got up. And went to walk to her room but before she did she glanced at the clock 7:05. 'they should be calling soon' she thought then she looked at Sayoran.

"Morning gorgeous" She said

"Morning"

"I guess you read my note" she said smiling

"Yup" he said getting off his bed. Sakura was about to shut the door and Sayoran was watching her but she looked back in the room and said something startling

"Oh Sayoran I word of wisdom. Lock your door at night." She said still not moving obviously she wasn't finished

"huh?" He asked confused

"I wouldn't want every girl to be able to see your body shimmering in the moonlight now would I. Cause damn! You look good." She finished and walked away just in time to catch the phone ringing.

"Hello?" Sakura asked

"Hello may I speak to Ms. Kinomoto?"

"This is she" Sakura answered.

"Hello this is LMOC we're on our way over actually we'll be there in 5 minutes. 7:15 exact."

"Okay Sayoran will be in the shower so I'll have time to sneak you all into my room and we can get started."

"Okay talk to you in a few minutes"

"Yup Bye"

And with that Sakura ran into her bather room and took that quickest shower known to man kind. And got dressed into a skirt and t-shirt just in time to hear the door bell.

"I'll get it!" she screamed though no one could hear her. She raced to the door opened it to see 5 young ladies at the door.

"come in and follow me please" Sakura said happily. And they all rushed to follow her to her room. "Right in here"

"Okay lets get started" the ladies said. By 11 they were done. This is the best job we've ever done! They praised their work.

"you ladies are life savers !!" Sakura thanked the ladies and shooed them as quick as possible and by the time she got them out with no sign they were ever there it was 11:28

"Sakura!" Sayoran called stretching her name.

"I'm in the living room." She called back

"Ready to go?" Sayoran asked when he reached the living room. But there was a look of shock on his face

"Where did all your bruises go?" he asked

"Its called make-up a girls best friend let go don't want to be late now do we?" she asked taking his hand

"Sakura. Why are you coming with me?"

"because id be bored here by myself" she said as she slipped into the limo and it drove them to the airport.

By the time they got off the plane Sayoran was aching to know what the hell she was wearing. All he could see her shimmering clear shoes with her manicured toes and finger nails, her make-up , her earrings and her hair, her white trench coat with gold fur on the collar hid everything else.

"What are you wearing?" he asked for the millionth time

"you'll see when we go to the party" was her continuous answer. She had a little smirk on that made him both afraid and curious. They made it to the hotel that was opening and there was a crowd of people. This was only her second time going to an opening with Sayoran so she was still a little nervous.

"Just stick with me even when I go to cut the ribbon" he said gently

"Okay Sayoran" she replied as they walked through the crowd Sayoran could tell that she was having a hard time keeping up so he took her hand tenderly and they walked up to the front together. He went and he spoke to the manager for a second but Sakura couldn't hear what he was saying because there was so many people. Then they walked up to the ribbon and Sayoran took the scissors in his one hand and held Sakura's in the other and he cut the ribbon and smiled. After that was done there was another 4 hours until the party. It started at 7. so they just walked around and talked for a bit Sayoran kept asking the same question 'why are you wearing a coat, why cant I just see what your wearing and Sakura would always reply 'because! And you'll see it at the party'. They were walking down the street and then they stopped at a nearby library for two reasons. They were tired of walking and the paparazzi weren't allowed in there. When they went in. they scoped out a few books but didn't feel like reading any of them. So they just sat down near the back of the store and talked. Well Sayoran talked. Until Sakura got tired of it and told him to shut up. And then started rambling on about how stupid he was and how loud and annoying until she was practically screaming and she wouldn't be quiet actually the more he asked her to be quiet the louder she got and if he ignored her he got loud to. So he just, well… he kissed her. Sakura didn't seem to care they seemed to have bin doing a lot of kissing lately and so she just let herself relax and be kissed. Wrapping her arms around Sayoran's neck as he held her waist and they sat there kissing and then his tongue somehow found It's way inside her mouth and she just let it wander as they had their first ever REAL make-out session. (A/N: what I mean by that is that they actually wanted to make out with each other) finally they parted and caught they're breath. They had a faint blush on each of their faces and Sakura reached in her purse and pulled out her lip light pink gloss and re-applied. When they looked at the time it said 7:00.

"guess we're going to be fashionably late" Sakura smiled.

"guess so" Sayoran said and held his hand out for Sakura, who gladly took it.

"So how bout this, I'll be your date for tonight?" Sakura suggested randomly as they rode down the street in the limo

"umm I guess that would be okay" Sayoran said still holding Sakura's hand

"It can be like practice for your ball" Sakura added

"Yeah not like we need it though" he chuckled.

"true, true that's because we're experts" Sakura giggled as they arrived at the hotel they were holding the party at. Sayoran got out of the limo and helped Sakura out and they walked into the posh hotel and Sayoran had this excited look on his face.

"why do you look do excited?" Sakura asked

"Because I FINALLY get to see what your wearing" Sakura giggled lightly at him. they walked up a flight of stairs covered in red velvet. Sakura let go of Sayoran's hand and told him to go down stairs after they announced him. he walked down the stairs waiting for Sakura to make her appearance.

"Ladies and Gentlemen Kinomoto Sakura, Mister Li's date." The voice echoed throughout the lobby. And there stood Sakura. In the most beautiful dress ever. It was a navy blue dress with 2 clear shimmering pieces of fabric on the back of the strapless. She had her hair done up in a neat, but messy bun with her bags across one side of her face. instead of a hair elastic she had a silver hair piece that kept it together. Her make-up was light and matched her complexion and she had silver hoops with little diamonds in them she looked like a princess. Sayoran was awe-struck and couldn't move. She was the most beautiful person in the room hell probably in the world. Her shimmering clear Cinderella shoes on the red velvet stairs made a soft echo throughout the room everyone's eyes were on her. When she reached Sayoran she smiled. "I told you it was a surprise." She whispered

"Yes but you didn't tell me that you would capture everyone's attention just by standing there"

"I wanted to make an entrance" she exclaimed and the music started playing. But no one was dancing everyone was staring at the pair.

"So my dear would you do me the honor of having this dance?" Sayoran asked

"It would be my pleasure" Sakura answered taking his hand and walking to the dance floor. They started dancing and soon everyone was dancing. As the night ended and they arrived back at the Li Mansion Sakura was exhausted who knew that going to one party could be so tiring. She went to her room and put her on pajamas( short shorts and a sports bra) taking off her make up and exposing her bruises once again. She sighed but the bruised weren't so dark they were beginning to go away. She collapsed on her bed. Then Sayoran came in wearing his pajamas, p.j. pants no shirt. Sakura gaped at the site. He obviously had just gotten out of the shower cause you could see the water glistening on his chest.

"that was some party eh Sakura?"

"yeah! Too bad you didn't wear that you would've bin the star of the party!" Sakura laughed

"Yeah but its okay that you were at least they announced you as my date"

"You must be so proud"

"I am they took lots of pictures, the prettiest girl at the party was my date" he gloated

"mm hmm well I'm tired and I'm going to bed night Sayoran" she said and pulled the covers over her exposed body. Sayoran walked up to her and sat by the bed

"You know what Sakura?" he asked

"What?"

"You might just be the best kisser I know" he said truthfully.

"Same to you" She replied and then closed her eyes ready to go to sleep and feel his presence leave her room. But no he just didn't want to leave, instead he kissed her again! On the lips for no reason just cause he felt like it. Sakura's eyes widened and then shut again. She felt him gently wrap his arms around her so she wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed again! Stupid hormonal teenagers. Then they parted for a breath but something made Sakura want to kiss him again but she didn't not yet, instead she licked the side of his face smoothly.

"Sakura, if you don't stop I'm going to lose all my self control" Sayoran breathed.

"so?" she whispered huskily in his ear

"So if I lose my self control I wont be able to be responsible for my actions"

"well you started it" she complained sexily

"temptations" was his answer "and Sakura please if you do one more sexy thing especially wearing what you're wearing I'll lose it stop playing with me"

"I'm not playing with you, and this is what I usually wear to bed, and you don't see me losing it over you"

"But that's what your doing"

"nope this is by choice.

"Sakura stop." Sakura was now moving her fingers in the outlines of his abs.

"no, all I hear from you is blah, blah, blah, blah" Sayoran let go of her and tried to push her away but when he looked at her he couldn't do it. He couldn't push her away

"Sakura stop please I have to go to sleep its late… come on just let me leave."

"blah, blah, blah just shut up and kiss me" Sakura ordered seductively and then kissed him quickly before he could move away. And she carefully placed her tongue in his mouth and moved his around and soon enough he kissed her back and was holding onto her. Once they had started they couldn't stop it was like a curse. Temptation. Sayoran made his way on top of Sakura and started kissing her neck. And then Sakura turned him over and pinned him and then started kissing him on the lips again. His hands wandered up her bare back sending pleasant shivers up her spine. They new exactly what to do to make each other want the other but now they were both doing that and it could only end in chaos. Because the two were to busy kissing they didn't notice Tomoyo and Eriol enter the house and go looking for them they met up down the hall from Sakura's room and figured they might be in there so they went and opened the door without knocking and sure enough there they were making out with each other with Sakura on top.

"Oh my god" Tomoyo gasped.

"Sakura?" Eriol asked not wanting to believe what he was seeing.

Sakura hearing her name looked in to door way and there were her two best friends witnessing her loss of control. Temptation. Sayoran also stopped and looked in the door way 'oh shit' was all he could think of. Temptation. He quickly got up and sprinted to his room trying to gain his control back. Eriol ran after him and Tomoyo sat with Sakura.

"Sakura what happened to you? You would've never done that before" she asked worried

"He just knew which buttons to press" she answered. Temptation.

"Man what's going on between you and Sakura?" Eriol asked but all he got was Sayoran pacing around his room saying shit over and over again.

"Sayoran man calm down what happened?"

"I told her to stop. She didn't listen to me. She just kept going. I cant control my self when she does that"

"Does what man?"

"gets all sexy and seductive"

"Sakura? Sexy and seductive? Are you drunk?" Eriol laughed

"No you should see her. She was running her fingers around my chest and in my hair and she was licking my face and whispering things to me and she's in short shorts and a bra for gods sake."

"Damn. I didn't know she had that kind of power, to seduce the unseducable a.k.a you"

"Neither did I until the tried it as a joke a few nights ago. She just knows all the right things to do" .Temptation.

"You did what?!" Tomoyo almost screamed

"Yeah. I couldn't help it. He just knows how to turn me on. One kiss and I lost it. Just one !! Tomoyo I think I'm sick I didn't know he could do that to me"

"Calm down Sakura its over. Just go to sleep."

"Your right Tomoyo I'll just go to sleep and act like it never happened. Night"

"Good night" Tomoyo said and walked out of the room. And saw Eriol coming out of Sayoran's room too.

"so?" Tomoyo and Eriol asked at the same time

"Temptation" they said at the in unison. Temptation. It's a killer.

Yeah I know that was a CRAZY chapter !! sorry if it doesn't make much sense and was way weird but I had severe artist block and wrote the only thing I could think of at 11 o'clock at night. Every story ive read has some stupid romance thing in it that makes things more uncomfortable so I thought id try it. I'll update as soon as possible if you have any ideas feel free to let me know.


	9. Day 8

Chapter 9

Day 8

August 8th

It was 6:30 am and Sayoran was just waking up. Last night seemed like a blur. Did he really do that? Or was it just a dream? The images of him and Sakura making-out flashed through his head. Yeah sure he had fun but he had ruined it. She would probably never speak to him again. He knew it wasn't a dream for he could still feel the aching of his lips where they were swollen. He slowly got up and noticed someone laying on the floor at the end of his bed. He walked past Eriol's sleeping figure and down the hall. He stopped at Sakura's room to try to make everything up to her. He opened the door but she wasn't there instead Tomoyo was sleeping on the floor. He walked around the mansion in search of her but not a trace nor a sign. He finally walked into the kitchen to get some water and there on the fridge was a note.

Sayoran read the letter and immediately ran to hid room and got dressed silently and then he ran back to the kitchen picked up the pen and began to write it the bottom of the letter.

After writing his 'letter' he scratched out the part Sakura told him to and then left the house.

After wandering around for an hour Sakura began to feel tired and sat down on the swings at a near by park the park was called 'Penguin Park' She remembered this place. Her and Sayoran had so many memories here.

"Sayoran" she began to think out loud

"How could I have done this to us?" She asked the clouds. "How could I just let our" she thought for a second but couldn't think of the right words "whatever we have. Take a turn for the worse? How could I have not listened? You just knew what to do I couldn't help it. I'm so sorry it's all my fault." She looked down at the ground, then she suddenly felt someone pushing her higher and higher soon she felt like she could touch the sky. She loved that feeling, like she was bird, free and without worry it made her forget her problems but she didn't like swinging alone she liked it when someone pushed her. When she was younger Sayoran was a cold and arrogant person. And one day she asked him to push her on the swings he rejected and she started to cry. She remembered it perfectly.

Remembering that made Sakura giggle a bit and then cry. She forgot about the fact the she was being pushed higher into the air. When she remembered she looked behind her.

"Sayoran?" she said seeing the familiar figure smiling back at her. Out of shock she let go of the medal chain keeping her safe and in doing so she started to fall.

"Ah!" Sakura screamed as she neared the ground. Closing her eyes preparing for the impact. Around the corner was a boy walking around on the alert. He heard the scream and ran towards the sound but when he got there it was too late. The girl was on the ground.

"Sakura!" The boy screamed. Sakura looked up and saw Sayoran.

"Sayoran?" She asked. Not believing it. She had just seen him, he was the one pushing her. Now that she thought about it she looked around but no one was there. 'I must've imagined it' she thought.

"Are you okay?" Sayoran asked offering Sakura his hand.

"I'm fine" She said and refused to take his hand, she got up on her own. Sayoran was startled but got over it quickly

"Good cause no one cares for you anyways" Sayoran stated angrily

"Excuse me? No one cares for me? No one cares or you!" she retorted

"Whatever" Sayoran replied

"How many times do I have to tell you, Guys shouldn't say whatever only girls" Sakura exclaimed

"Whatever" he answered

"Unless the guy is gay of course" Sakura continued

"Whatever"

"Which you obviously are" She finished.

"What?!" Sayoran screamed.

"ever" Sakura said "Just thought id finish your sentence for you" Sakura smirked and went to walk away but fell.

"ouch" she whispered

"Awe what a klutz" Sayoran said in a baby voice and then walked away. Sakura got up to follow him muttering curses under her breath. Walking slower than ever and whispering "stupid foot" over and over again they were half way home when Sayoran stopped.

"Hurry it up would you!" he ordered and started walking faster. Sakura tried to walk faster but failed.

"ouch" she screamed out but this time she didn't get up. She just sat there on the ground with tears streaming down her face. Sayoran turned around to see what she had screamed for and walked over to her.

"You stupid bitch hurry up" he screamed "I don't want to be out here!"

"Go the fuck away you fucking idiot" she screamed back through sobs

"stop crying" he ordered. But the crying didn't stop.

"come on stop crying what's the matter?" he asked.

"go the fuck away." She screamed and got up.

"There you go now walk a bit faster and we're all set"

"shut up loser" Sakura retorted but once again tried to walk faster

"there you go!" Sayoran praised and then 'crash' she was back on the ground crying. "What's wrong with you?!" he screamed frustrated. Then he noticed Sakura massaging her foot and wincing.

"Move" he ordered, she gave him a dirty look. He forcefully moves her hands and took of her shoe. Her foot was swollen and very, very red. He put her shoe back on her. Sakura looked at him like he was a madman suddenly she felt herself being hoisted in the air.

"Oh my god are you guys getting married?" Tomoyo shrieked happily

"No" Sayoran said calmly, he was carrying Sakura bridal style, "Would someone please take off her shoes, gently"

"Of course" Tomoyo said and took of Sakura's shoes. Sayoran walked into the kitchen and placed Sakura on the counter.

"What are you doing?" She asked

"I'm going to check out your foot" he said not looking at her.

Sorry I'll get back to this ASAP but my mom is forcing me to get off the computer hope you liked the chapters … bye


	10. Day 9

Chapter 10

Day 9

August 9th

Sakura's thoughts were scarmbled, going hay wire. She thought She hated him. What's going on and why is everying so fast paced? She asked herself. The Ball was in 8 days, and She couldn't decide weather they were fighting or friends. She hated it when he did this to her. Yes, it's happened before, back in 7th, when they first met. Sure she thought we was arrogant and concited Which, don't get me wron he is), but it just all changed when she saw something else in him, something that wasn't noticable before. Till this day, she can't figure out what it is, but she knew it was there, and everytime It showed itself her senses shut down completely.

"I hate this!" She screamed at herself, in her head of course. She was currently subjected to bed rest and was staring at the light pink celing, that matched the light pink walls and the light pink door. Odd I know, a pink room in a house that Syaoran lives in? Ha! Well it's true, Sakur's favourite colour is pink so it was painted to match her, not snobby, confusing, hunky Syaoran. Sakura coulnd't help but stare let her thoughts drift to him and their current situation. How was this going to work, could they just go back to normal.. after all this? Was it really possible to put it out of their minds like that? Sakura knew it was highly unlikeyly, but she promised to try.

"If I can't live with it, I'll live without it" She whispered out loud. Finally deciding to disobey 'Master Syaoran' she got up out of bed, immediatly missing the comfort of the pillow that rested under her swollen ankle. _I can handle it_ she preped herself. Slowly and cautiously she opened the door.

"Afternoon Princess" She winced at the voice, but looked to the left, where Syaoran was calmly positioned.

"It was only a matter of time before you got tired of sitting around" He said, "But to bad, go back to bed" She rolled her eyes and let out an angry breath.

"But I'm hungy" She tried. No avail. He didn't even budge.

"We'll bring you food, what do you want?" He asked.

"I need to see what there is" She tried agian. Not a chance.

"We'll bring you a menu" He said simply.

"Please? I'm so tired of sitting in my room. It's boring and lame and i'm on vacation!" She whined, stomping her feet in the process. He didn't budge, not a laugh, not a chuckle, not a retort, just a cold stare.

"Fine" She sighed in defeat. "Leave me to my torturous solitude" The amount of Dramatic-ness in her reply made Syaoran's well worked on stance faulter for a moment and a small, short chuckle escaped. She turned around hopefully, only to see him back in his original state, cold and poweful. _I must've imagined it_ she thought sadly.Sighing once again she re-entered her room and closed the door behind her.

"I know you're listening at the door Kino, just go back to bed." She head his muffled reply flow into her ear, which indeed was pressed against the door.

"Fine ruin all my fun" She shouted and moved a few inches towards the bed.

"All the way to bed!" He yelled impatiently. Sakura huffed before getting back into bed.

"Keep that foot up!" His voice drifted through her room. _How does he do that, read my mind.._ she grumbled before lifted her foot up on the pillows and staring once again at the celing.

"I hate this" She mumbled.

"Hey Eriol, wanna stand watch here for a bit, while I tell Wei we need a menu for Princess?" Syaoran asked Eriol in a hopeful whisper. Eriol was luckily walking past Sakura's room in search of something to do.

"I guess" He agrees hesitantly, "But hurry back" Syaoran nodded and ran down the hall and out of sight. A few minutes went by, but to a bored and unsatisfied Eriol, it seemed like hours.

"Where is he?" He asked himself. "He was supossed to be back by now"

"Hey Eriol" He heard a voice call, he shook his midnight blue hair a bit and looked up at the voice.

"Hey Tomoyo" Suddenly, his bordom seemed to seep away, and a smile appeared instead.

"Whatcha doin?" She asked curiously. He patted a spot beside him ont he floor. Tomoyo slid down beside him.

"I'm watching Sakura's room, so that if she tries to come out, I can tell her to go back to bed so she doesn't strain her ankle even more than it already is." He said.

"Oh, want some company?" She asked. Eriol smiled big.

"I'd love some"

"Hey sorry It took so long" Syoran said halting infront of the duo out of breath, holding.. a menu. and...

"What took you so long?" Eriol asked. ... food.

"Wei was busy, so I had to find the menu's myself and then I ran into Tomoyo" He nodded in her direction, "And thought, by now, you'd probably be hungy, and I knew she'd be on her way up here, so I made food" He answered. He handed them the little bag. "Has she tried to leave again?" Eriol nodded his head.

"Thanks for the food buddy" He said happily. "You gonna take it from here?" Syaoran nodded.

"Wish I didn't have to, but if she gets up, then I wont have a date for the Ball next week." He sighed. "So difficult"

Eriol and Tomoyo laughed but didn't reply, they just walked away. Syaoran sighed again pushing his bangs out of his face and stepping across the hall and infront of her door. He knocked... twice.

"Come in, but only if you have something to unbore me" Came the angelic voice. He stopped himself from chuckling and put on his cold and serious expression before entering.

"Here" He handed her the menu.

"You were serious? You brought me a menu?" She asked in disbelief. "Come on, you couldn't have brought me a game cube or something?"

"You didn't say 'i wanna play video games and become a brainless moron' you said 'im hungry' so yea, I brought you a menu" He retorted. Sakura sighed and took the menu. She skimmed through it.

"Damn, you guys can make all this?" She asked. Syaoran nodded.

"Awesome, you know what sounds good right now?" She asked happily.

"What?" He asked.

"Freedom!" She spat. He rolled his eyes at her,

"If you don't choose what you're going to eat I'm not going to ask you again, you can starve" He probably shouldn't have said that cause next thing he knew... the menu came flying at his face.

"Fine, I wont" She huffed. "Now.. get out" He did as she said, and left.

He wouldn't beg, not a chance, no way. That was what was going through his mind as he paced across from her door. It had bin hours, several hours and she still hadn't asked for anything, he had tried offering her the menu again, but that didn't work, she just threw it at him again. Finally, he gave up. It was almost midnight, he couldn't fight it anymore. He had already made her think she was fat with a simple comment. Who knows that damage he did this time.

"Fine" He mumbled to himself. He knocked on her door.

"Go away" She yelled. _At least I know she's awake_. He told himself.

"I'm coming in" He shouted back. Without waiting for a response he opnened the door and came face to face with Sakura.. in short shorts and tank stop. Pink short shorts... and a white tank top to be exact.

"What do you want, I told you I'm not hungry!" She screamed at him.

"Don't give me that, you havn't eaten all day, that means. you havn't eaten in 11 hours, you have to hungry, I'm hungry and I had breakfast" He stated firmly.

"Well i'm not you" She retorted.

"I know, your sutpider. We both know it's not healthy to starve yourself." Sakura glared at him and came dangerously close.

"Well then you should stop telling me to shrink up _**Master**_" She spat venomously. That was it for Syaoran, she was close enough all he had to do was...

"Ahh!" She screamed. "Let me go!"

"Nope" He said camly. "Stop kicking me!"

"No, let me go!" She shouted. At this exact moment, Syaoran was kicking the door closed behind him as Sakura was hoisted on his shoulder helpless. She screamed and shouted all the was to the kitchen when he finally set her down on the counter.

"Don't even attmpt to get up, I'm faster than you, stronger than you and now that you've sprained your ankle you wont get far before I get to you" He warned. Sakura just huffed but didn't try to get down, she knew he was right.

"You're not prettier than me though" She stuck her tounge out at him. Syaoran looked appauled.

"What, you don't think i'm pretty?" He asked. He stuck his hig out and placed his hand on his hip in an _attitude_ like position. Sakura started giggling, Syaoran smiled, but caught himself and returned to his cold, and seriousness.

Sakura watched in awe as his hands moved expertly around the kitchen, getting out bowls, chopping, flattening dough, baking, throwing things into the air and catching them in a pan. He was moving around so quickly it was making her dizzy, but she couldn't not watch. It was something she didn't know about him, and it was to say the least, facinating. As he circled around her to get to the coths that were positioned in a droor just a few inches away from her, she lost her balance and began to fall. before her body completely fell off the counter top, Syaoran had caught her, cloths in one hand, her in the other. Without a word he carried her to the table, bridal style and sat her in one of the beautiful mahogany chairs, and went back to the stove. She waited patiently, though the smell consumed her and she had to fight the temptation to get up and steal one of the cookies he had just taken out of the oven.

"Viola" He said suddenly. Unknown to him, he just broke Sakura's concentration, her intense stare directed to the appizing cookies gone. Syaoran came over with two plates, full of food. Oragne Chicken, Thai noodles, white rice, egg rolls, spring rolls, roated prok smothered in a sweet n' sour sauce and a small amount of stir fry. He placed one infront of Sakura and the other on the other side of the table. He wizzed over to the fridge and poured two glasses of punch. He places his down first and then Sakura's along with knives, forks and napkins. He was about to walk back to his spot and thought better of it and grabbed a chair right beside Sakura placing it infront of her.

"Here, put your foot up on this, at least it'll be on something higher up" He said. Sakura did as she was told. And placed the aching foot on the chair, a little too harshly apparently, cause she screamed out in agony and pulled her foot back towards her bumping the table, hurting her ankle even more and spilling not only her drink but her plate all over Syaoran.

"Sorry" She whispered in fright. Syaoran shrugged it off and went to the freezer, he pulled out 3 ice holders and placed them on the counter. He opened the lowest cabnet, making him sit in a squated formation. He pulled out a long .. thing, from what Sakura could see and started to fill it with ice. He filled the ice holder up again and places them in the freezer. He walked over with the ice pack and placed it on the table. He crouched down beside Sakura and picked up her foot carefully and gently placed it on the chair. He then picked up the long ice pack, it was in a sort of... wrap form. So as it was assumed, he wrapped her throbbing foot in the ice pack and secured it.

"Syaoran" She whipsered. He didn't say a word, he just picked up the fallen plate and placed it in the sink before placing the foods on another plate and placing it infront of her.

"You need to eat" Was all he said before turning around and walking to his end of the table and starting to eat, dispite the amount of food that was splattered on his head and body, ignoring the juice what was dripping off his hair and soaking into his clothes. That kind act, was what made Sakura eat. Not the fact that he made the food for her, or was determined to make her eat. It was becuase he dispite the food and drink splattered on him, he didn't yell, or shout or grunt. Instead he fixed up more food and drink and iced up her foot for her.

"Thank you" She whispered before digging in.

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**I know, long time no update. I know this chapter is lame, but don't worry better to come. I would've updated sooner but the straight up truth is... my hard drive on my other computer [which i had already updated this story on crashed... and well.. all was lost.. so i was pretty much like 'screw it, i'm not writting it again, i don't even remember what i wrote in the first place' yea, i know, that was horrible of me. but well. it's the truth. anyways. you know my policy. you don't have to review, knowing that you read it is okay with me.**

**and thanks for all those who have supported me thus far. Anyways, as always, if you decide to review, critisism is welcome, i love it, it lets me know what I can do better. it can be "I HATE IT" and as long as you state why, i can always improve on it. so feel free to shout. **

**Thank you every who has reviewed, it makes me smile. and thanks to those who read but don't review [im guilty of that myself, i rarely review, i just add it to my favourites and alerts and im done, time to read something else lol i really enjoy knowing that this is read so much, so thanks again everyone.**

**Jiade-103**


	11. Day 10

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 11

Day 10  
August 10th

_Recap: _  
_"You need to eat" Was all he said before turning around and walking to his end of the table and starting to eat, dispite the amount of food that was splattered on his head and body, ignoring the juice what was dripping off his hair and soaking into his clothes. That kind act, was what made Sakura eat. Not the fact that he made the food for her, or was determined to make her eat. It was becuase he dispite the food and drink splattered on him, he didn't yell, or shout or grunt. Instead he fixed up more food and drink and iced up her foot for her._  
_"Thank you" She whispered before digging in._

---

Sakura woke up on the couch in the livingroom. She looked around sleepily, the last thing she remembered was falling asleep watching a midnight movie with Syaoran. _Syaoran! _She looked around the room agian. He should be here, they both fell alseep. He should be around here somewhere. The living room was spotless: No mess, no movies, no Syaoran. She slowly got up being careful of her leg, Syaoran would kill her if she hurt herself even more.

"Syaoran." She called. She moved towards the kitchen. "Syaoran!" She called even louder. No answer. He couldn't have just left her here. He just spent all of yesterday watching her so that she would heal. After all he went through he wouldn't just... leave. It surprised her how much the thought of him ditching her hurt. _Get over yourself_ she cursed herself. _It's just Syaoran. The president of loserville_. She took in a deep breath to calm her speeding heart. He has to be here. Determained to find him she began her search.

Sakura walked the hallways calling for him, opening random doors here and random doors there. She checked his room, his bathroom, the lobby, the kitchen everywhere she could think of and then some. With a last burst of frantic hope she opened the last door. The room was dark and it was almost impossible to see. There were no windows and the only light she got was from the hallway. She groped the wall but found no switch and being her normal clumsy self she ran into something. She squinted at the figure. Her eyes widened in realization. _Syaoran! _She ran smack dab into Syaoran. Or Syaoran sculpture. Right in front of her was a life-like marble carving of Syaoran about the age he is now. She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes in curiosity. She reached up and touched his cheek with her fingers. She moved her fingers along his strong jaw and full marble lips. She let out a little laugh.

"You know, I like you better this way." She said. "Cold, serious... solid." She traced the contours of his face. "You're beautiful." She whispered. "She slid her hand into his outstretched one. "You can't make me fall for you this way." She fingered his bare chest, his bottom was carved in a god like way. With a kind of sheet covering him. "I know that's what you're trying to do with your 'i'll cook for you' and all the worrying and caring crap." She said. "But it wont work." She announced strongly. "I wont fall for it, I wont fall for you." She sighed and stared at his perfect face. She placed her lips over his rocklike ones. "Yes, I definitely like you better this way."

Sakura released the marble Syaoran from her embrace and immediately reprimanded herself. She was talking to a rock. She kissed a rock. What was the world coming to? She tore her eyes off his look a like. She squinted into the darkness and saw a few other shaded figures. She saw Li Yelan; Syaoran's mother. Li Fuutie, Li Shiefa, Li Fanfan and Li Feimei; Syaoran's sisters. And she saw Li Xang; Syaoran's father. Sakura looked at the man's shape and noticed that he was almost an exact replica of Syaoran. Expect for Syaoran's mouth. He got his full lips from his mother. Sakura smiled. She'd never met any of Syaoran's family aside from his mother and his upbeat, competetive cousin Li Meiling but she'd heard about them from his mother and has seen pictures of his sister's from an old photo album of Meiling's.

Sakura looked at the walls, expecting to see a biege like colour spreading along the walls with gold designs or something equally as glamourous. Instead she saw that the walls had a type of texture to them and were completely white. She moved carefully to the closest wall and touched it. Satin. She gave it a little tug and watched in awe as the material came floating down like some kind of cloud like ribbon. She would have been worried if it weren't for the shock that took over her. Behind the beautiful material was an every more beautiful picture. It was a painted portrait of Syaoran and his family. She strained to see it and sighed in defeat when she couldn't. She looked around again searching again for a light switch. Her eyes lit up when she saw it. The material had been covering it. She flipped the switch and brillant lights came down from everywhere. She looked at the marble Syaoran. He looked even more beautiful, the lights gave him a bit of a sparkle and she could see all the muscles a moment ago she could only feel. She turned from him forcfully and stared once again at the portrait. It started out with two of his sisters. Fututie and Fanran. Both tall and lean, amazing long legs and chocolate hair a shade lighter than Syaoran's. Fuutie's hair was waist length and volumous whilst Fanran's hair was short in the front with one shoulder length ponytail. Next to them was Li Yelan. With super long midnight black hair but her face was warm and gentle. Then came Li Xang, with his chocolate brown hair exactly the same as Syaoran's, dark smiling eyes and strong chin. Beside him were Syaoran's other sisters. Sheifa and Feimei. Sheifa's hair was just above shoulder length with gorgeous side bangs and Feimei's hair came down to her bust and she had a contagious cheerful smile. Sakura's eyes caught on Syaoran. Small with chubby cheeks, his hair short and messy but there was no arrogance on his face. No seriousness in his eyes. He looked... happy. There was a genuine smile on his face and his small hand was holding onto his sister's discreetly. There was a shyness about him. Sakura grinned and in a moment of intense curiousity she pulled down all of the sheets. She gazed in awe as each sheet unveiled a number a paintings made of the Li family. She watched Syaoran grow and his sister's change and she watched as his face became less animated as time progressed and as his father's face became more hollow each time. She pivited and saw it like a slide show in front of her. Syaoran's father becoming sick, Syaoran no longer able to be ignorant, His sister's staying strong and positive through everything, his mother wrapping her arm around tiny shoulder's in a comforting sort of way, and finally one picture remained. The family minus one. Li Xang died. She had to give props to the painter who managed to capture all of the hurt in their eyes, all but _his_. Somehow Syaoran managed to display a cold exterior where his eyes were frozen. There was no emotion. She winced when she saw that side of him displayed so openly. She walked out of the room in a wave of sadness. It started out so happily and ended so terribly. She understood now why the walls were hidden behind beautiful linen. It woud be too hard for any of the family to enter that room and watch as their beloved slowly died.

Of course she didn't think it was fair that Syaoran acted as if he never had a father, as if Li Xang didn't exist. It was obvious that they had been close but she'd never heard him mention him. The only reason she knew he even had a father was his mother and cousin mentioning him once or twice in the past.

Sakura sat against the hallway wall outside of the room. She saw flashes of the paintings inside of her closed eyes. Tears hung on her lashes and she didn't try to push them back. If he wasn't going to feel the pain she would feel it for him. It was easy for her to succumb to the sadness. She's lost her mother too, so she had something to compare to, but his situation was worse. He had to watch. She didn't even remember her mother, she knew she was beautiful and was a model but she never actually _knew_ her. She never got the chance to see her kindness for herself. Syaoran did. Syaoran got to meet his father, to know him, to be with him, to be close to him and then got to watch as his best friend got sicker and sicker and eventually die. Her breath started to come out in jagged bouts. Somewhere in the distance she heard a door close and a voice call out.

"Sakura!" It was Syaoran. "I'm back!" She brought herself to her feet and started sprinting towards to voice, towards the foot steps. She could ignore the pain in her ankle, she couldn't ignore the pain in her heart. His messy hair came into veiw, he was ruffling it and mumbling something under his breath, something like 'where is she?'.

"Syaoran!" She shouted. He turned towards the sound of her voice in time to be impacted with Sakura throwing herself into his arms. She sobbed and cried and she knew she was soaking his suit but she didn't care. She needed someone to hold her right now; she needed him. Even if it was his pain she was baring, she needed him to be the one to comfort her.

"I'm sorry." She cried. "I'm so so sorry." Syaoran wrapped his arms around her and rubbed er back.

"Shh, Shh." He said. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm sure you didn't do anything unforgivable." He joked. His smile faultered when he felt her body shake under his hands. Slowly he walked her over to the couch and sat her down.

"Sakura, you have to tell me what's wrong." He said softly. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" He was beginning to panic. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry about your father." She said. "You loved him, and he's gone. And you had to watch it happen. You had to watch as he got sicker. You had to watch him die." Syaoran's heart stopped and his breath stopped coming. No one had mentioned his father in 10 years. Anger started to boil under his skin but he couldn't bring himself to be mad at Sakura, she's always been this compassionate. No he was angry at whoever it was who told her anything about his father. He took a deep breath to calm himself, it wouldn't do any good to lash out at her.

"Sakura, My father died years ago. You don't have to cry about it. I'm fine." He said. "Really, I am."

"Don't give me that!" She reprimanded him. "I'll tell you what happened. You put up that cold, serious dememor of yours and fooled your heart broken family and ignorant friends into thinking your fine! When really you weren't and you still aren't because you haven't allowed yourself to accept his death entirely." His eyes locked with hers. She looked up at him with this inensity in her eyes and saying these words that not even his closest family and friends had bothered to say to him. "So don't give me that 'i'm fine' bull, cause I'm not buying it. You may have fooled them, but I'm not that stupid."

"No." He agreed. "You're not." He let out a deep breath. "Here's the thing Sakura. He died okay? He's gone, he'd never coming back. I went on with my life. So did everyone else, it's not like any of us ever forgot about him. It was just... easier this way." He said. "It's nothing to go and sob about."

"If everything is just fine, then why is it that you don't have any pictures of him? Why is it that you never talk about him?" She challenged.

"Because." Was his answer. Truth was he didn't have an answer. It was just too painful to look at his father. How can you look at someone you wanted to be like, someone you idolized and smile at their old photographs when they're dead? Why would you want to? They left you.

"I liked you better solid." Sakura mumbled to herself.

"What?" He asked, his eyes narrowed. "Solid?"

"Yeah, Solid." She replied. "You know, the godlike marble version of yourself..."

"I thought I told my mother to destroy that." He mumbled. "What kind of moron makes a life sized rocklike clone of you for your birthday?" He shook his head. "Where is it? I want to destroy is myself."

"Over my dead body." She said. "I like him more than I like you."

"He's a rock." Syaoran pointed out.

"Which means he doesn't have the vocal chords to tease and taunt me." She retorted. He rolled his eyes.

"He's me!" He shouted in frustration. He groaned. "It doesn't even matter, where is... it."

"This way." She said. Sakura lead the way down the hall.

"So, just so we're clear. We've dropped the whole 'father' thing?" He asked hopefully.

"Nope." She replied. She was regretting running to him now, her ankle felt like it was exploding. She heard him groan.

She stopped at the door.

"Looks like someone left the light on." He said pointedly.

"You would have too if you saw what I saw." She said. "I ran out of there earlier. It's pretty painful walking into that room." This was her way of indirectly warning him about what he was getting into.

"What, too painful to look at me?" He joked.

"Yes." She said seriously. "It was." He blinked at her, expecting sarcasm or a roll or the eye or a bit of a grin... something. But all he got was a grave expression.

"Well aren't we dramatic today." He rolled his eyes, turned away from her and opened the door, he froze on the spot. His eyes grazed the numerous family portraits hanging on the walls. All of them made between the last two years of his father's life. He watched the life drain out of his father... again. He watched his sisters and his mother trying to stay strong and happy. And he watched himself. Turn from happy to emotionless. He stopped breathing.

"I told you it was painful." Sakura's voice seemed faint in his ear. "I ran out of here earlier. I couldn't stand the look on your face, the changes in your personality as the paintings went on." Syaoran sucked in one deep breath, willing hismelf to move forwards. He touched the marble carving of his father.

"I didn't even know this room existed." He whispered. "I thought everything connected to my father was gone."

"Obviously not." She said. "Believe me, I got quite the shock coming in here and practically running into you. Well, you're stonelike self anyways." She felt her tears dry up as she watched him take in all the things about his father that he'd tried to leave behind.

"I didn't mean to forget." He said moment later. "I just wanted to move on."

"It's okay to remember and to move on." Sakura told him. "You're forgetting that my mother died. And I'm still here and I still love her, even if she is gone." Syaoran nodded.

"Could you, leave me here for a couple minutes. I want to... remember." He asked. She blinked at him but nodded.

"Sure." She smiled. "I'll be waiting for you upstairs."

---

Sakura held the bowl to her mouth draining the rest of her soup in one gulp. She smiled happily. Even though her foot was numb from all the ice she has on it and her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she did she was happpy. Syaoran sat on the opposite end of the table, eating dinner with her again, he wasn't doing much eating though. He was doing more figgeting.

"Sakura." He broke the silence. "I wanted to thank you."

"Hm? For what?" She asked.

"For showing me that room." His eyes were red and puffy too but she didn't mention it, it wouldn't have been polite.

"Oh, no problem." She said. "It was nothing."

"No, it was everything." He whispered. She barely caught the words but she smiled none the less.

"My, aren't we dramatic today?" She laughed. Syaoran smiled.

"Yes, we are." He laughed. His laugh was choppy and short but not forced.

"I'm going to bed." Sakura announced, "and I swear if you wake me up without good reason I'll murder you." She glared. "And just so we're clear. A good reason does include telling me that you're leaving, going out whatever." She put her dish in the sink and hobbled out of the kitchen, holding an ice pack in her hand.

"And Syaoran!" She called, her voice far away. "You'll be fine."

A smile crept into Syaoran's face.

"What are you talking about?" He laughed. "I've always been fine." He heard Sakura's laughter fade off into the distance.

---

**Yeah so... that's what chapter 11...12? I really have to get around to taking out that 'ideas' chapter.. it's screwing me up. **

**I'm so so **_**so**_** sorry it took me so long. Actually, you can thank **_Callista Miralni _**for my update if you're going to thank anyone at all. I've been having a severe case of writer's block towards this story and "Fallen Angel" But thanks to Callista, I finally have an idea of where I'm going with those stories. **

**Thank you to all my readers and special thanks to the select few who do review, I love them (the reviews) so much. **

**By now you all should know my policy. 'Only review if you want to.' I don't believe in forcing people to review by saying that I wont update until you do. I don't update enough as it is! Imagine if I **_**did**_** say that. Gahh. **

**Thank you again, to everyone. and unlimited thanks to **_Callista Miralni_.

**Jiade-103**


	12. Day 11

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 12

Day 11  
August 11th

_Recap:  
_　

"Syaoran!" Sakura yelled angrily. "You.... _tool!_" She limped down the stairs with her fists balled. "How _could_ you?!" Syaoran looked up from his breakfast.  
"How could I what?" He asked casually.  
"There's a creepy boy about yay high in my room!" Sakura shouted. "In my bed!" She put her hand on her hip. "Smelling my pillows!" Syaoran cracked up laughing.  
"Looks like you have an admirer." He said trying, and failing, to contain his laughter.  
"It's not funny!" Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him. "I came out of _my_ shower to find some guy in _my bed_ smelling _my _pillows and you think this is _funny?!_" She shrieked.  
"Yes." He laughed. He caught the look in her eyes. "No." He corrected himself quickly. "No, not at all."  
"_Syaoran!" _She growled.  
"Wait, did you say you came out of the shower and _then_ found someone in your room?" He asked.  
"Duh, why in hells name do you think i'm still in my towel?!" She glared. Syaoran looked her up and down. Bare feet, bare legs...  
"Why in the world are you wearing a _tea towel_ around your body?!" He shouted hiding his blush with false anger. "Did he see you like that?"  
"Yes!" Sakura replied just as heatedly. "Almost ran into the wall while he was staring, and I wasn't about to grab my clothes while he was still _in_ there."  
"Well you should have told him to get _out_!" Syaoran yelled.  
"_You_ tell the little creep to get out!" She yelled back.  
"Ahem..." A small cough was heard in the background. Sakura and Syaoran turned towards the voice instantly.  
"Uh, Sakura. I'd like you to meet my sister... Feimei." Syaoran said nervously. Sakura smiled at the girl.  
"Hi, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Kinomoto Sakura." She moved to shake her hand but instead blushed. "Let's just pretend I shook your hand." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm afraid to let go of my '_tea towel'_" Sakura scowled at Syaoran.  
"That young boy is my adoptive son." Feimei said. "Im sorry for all of the trouble he's caused."  
"It's okay." She said.  
"No, no it's not." Syaoran interrupted. "Your son invaded her personal space, stared at her like a piece of meat, and is inhaling her possessions that is _not_ okay."  
"I'll take care of it." Feimei said shortly.  
"Do it then." Syaoran commanded. Feimei turned on her heel and left the two of them in the kitchen.  
"I'm sorry about all that." He said sheepishly. "I thought that it would be... appropriate that I invited my sister's down.. to see the room. Feimei came early. The other's should be showing up any time now." Sakura could see how hard this all was for him and kissed his cheek, it was all she could do with her hands on her towel.  
"It's nothing." She said. "I'll get over it... eventually. That or you'll make it up to me." She shrugged. He shook his head.  
"You're amazing you know that?" He patted her shoulder forgetting for an instant that she was mostly naked.  
"Uh.." He said akwardly. 'I'm going to go and uh... check on your room invasion situation." He stuttered "I'll uh... be right... back." He turned and ran from the kitchen yelling for Feimei.  
Sakura looked down at herself and sighed. There wasn't much she could do about it right now. She tried to trace back to when she'd stopped counting the points and when she'd stopped fighting and being overly sarcastic. Everything would just make for sense if she could get her thoughts in check. She hadn't even been there for two weeks and everything was messed up. She was _comfortable_ with him. Years of trying to stay away from him and not succeeding and now suddenly she didn't mind being near him. Worse, she wanted it. She _freaked out _when he wasn't there when she woke up. What was _wrong_ with her. She sighed.  
"Hi." A voice came from behind her. She looked and saw the creep himself.  
"Oh, so I see you're out of my room now." She said venomously. "I suppose I could go get dressed but there's really no point. I'm already dry."  
"I like you better like this anyways." He sat down on the table biting into an apple. "So what's your name?"  
"Unavailable." She replied instantly.  
"How about you make yourself available." He suggested. "I'm in need of a girlfriend."  
"No, what you're in _want_ of is a toy. What you're in need of is an attitude adjustment." She retorted. She never thought it could happen, but yet here it had. She actually found someone she hated _more_ than Syaoran. Or maybe that was just because her hatred for Syaoran had somehow eroded.  
"Oh, feisty." He smirked. "Just my type." He ran his hand down Sakura's arm. She slapped his hand away angrily.  
"Don't touch me!" Her voice had a thousand traces of anger in it and yet he still jumped down from the table and cornered her. She could have and would have beat him to a pulp if it weren't for her clothing issue.  
"Come on baby." He whispered.  
"Don't call me baby."  
He ran his finger along her leg. "how about love?" He asked.  
"Your attempts at seduction are less than amateur." Sakura spat in his face.  
"Why you..." His eyes flashed. His and tightened on her thigh. She resisted the urge to scream.  
"Either you let go of me or..." She began her threat but was but off by a seriously angry voice.  
"Or I'll make you." Syaoran stood at the kitchen door glaring at her attacker. Luckily the creep was smart enough to let go of her and back away, lucky for him that is.  
"Yo chill out man. I was just exploring the territory." He laughed.  
"If your mom wasn't my sister..." Sayoran trailed off menicingly.  
"Like I said. Chill out man." He sat back on top of the table.  
"Oh you found him." A relieved voice floated through the kitchen making the imposter stiffen.  
"Yeah! Found him trying to.." Sakura's hand held tightly over Syaoran's mouth.  
"Tell her _after_ she's seen the room you moron." Sakura whispered.  
"This is Li Ryao my adopted son." Feimei introduced. "Kinomoto-san i'm sure it's safe to get dressed now."  
"Please, call me Sakura Li-san." Sakura suggested.  
"Sure thing Sakura." Ryao said.  
"Not you, creep. You're not allowed to call me _anything_." Sakura said. "You're not even allowed to talk to me."  
"Harsh." Ryao said simply. Sakura turned her back on him and left the kitchen with Syaoran on her heels.

"I'm just going to stand out here until you're dressed to make sure that he doesn't try to get back in." Syaoran told Sakura. She nodded closing her bedroom door behind her. Syaoran stood beside her door and waited, he was positive Ryao would be coming upstairs any minute to _'check'_ on Sakura. He heard footsteps coming towards up the stairs._ 'well that was quick'_ he thought with an eye roll _'you think the guy would have the decency to give her 5 minutes'_. He saw Ryao look backwards to see if he was being followed and then heave a sigh of relief when he realized he wasn't. He smiled slyly and turned only to come face to face with Syaoran.  
"Hmm." Syaoran said.  
"Uh, I was... looking for the.. bathroom." Ryao tried.  
"Uh huh, right."Syaoran said "and I'm an idiot."  
"Glad you realize it." Ryao smirked. Syaoran took the time to size him up. He looked a little buffy, but nothing he couldn't take. Hell even Sakura could take him. He was wearing white shorts and a black t-shirt. Syaoran looked him in the eye. Brown. but a dark, almost black brown.  
"You're a moron." He said simply. "and if you think you're going to get into Sakura's room at any time let alone _now_ you need to check yourself, cause it's not happening." He uncrossed his legs. "in fact. You can just stay away from her entirely."  
"She's not your property." Ryao said.  
"No, but she's my date, so you can shove off." Syaoran said.  
"Date? for what? the prom?" Ryao asked laughing.  
"The ball." Syaoran replied. "and don't act like you haven't heard of it. Everyone from the Li clan is invited. Unfortunetly, you're a Li now."  
"How'd you manage to snag her for the ball?" Ryao asked his voice still held laughter. "did you beg?"  
"No." He spat "I asked, like a gentleman."  
"Oooh, a gentleman."  
"Look, I said you're a Li. That means it's time to act like one."  
"I don't care if I'm a Li. I want _her_ and I'll have her." Ryao announced.  
"Over my dead body you will." Syaoran snarled.  
"Rather over dramatic don't you think?"  
"You'll keep you and your hands away from her and keep your mouth away while you're at it." Syaoran told him.  
"Like I said man, she's not your property and the ball is 6 days away. So unless you're planning on making her your girlfriend... give it a rest."  
"Syaoran..." A smal voice came from the door. Syaoran turned his gaze away from Ryao and looked at the closed door.  
"Yeah?" He asked.  
"Can you come in here? I need some help." Sakura asked. Ryao looked at Syaoran implyingly and Syaoran just shrugged.  
"Seems you guys are more than just friends." Ryao glared.  
"Oh, we are." Syaoran replied equally as menacingly.  
"I'm coming in Sakura." He gave fare warning. Her small 'okay' was heard through the silence. Syaoran opened the door and slipped in, giving Ryao no chance of seeing Sakura at all. Good thing to. She stood in front of him with only her undergarments on.  
"Sakura!" Syaoran blushed.  
"Oh come on, it's the same as a bikini. Anyways. I need you to check my ankle." She said "It looks really swollen."  
"And you couldn't have put pants on first?" He questioned. She gave him 'the look'. He sighed and walked over sitting himself on her chair.  
"Give me your ankle." He commanded. She lifted her ankle up onto his lap and he examined it.  
"Well, it looks pretty swollen but that's probably just because of all the walking you've been doing. Not to mention how you ran to me yesterday. You probably just set the healing back a two or three days. Sakura groaned. He looked up her leg and smiled happily.  
"But, it looks like your bruising from meiling has almost disappeared." He smiled eagerly before sobering. "I'm sorry about that, I really should have been paying more attention."  
"It's really nothing Syaoran." Sakura said.  
"You've been saying that alot lately." He replied.  
"Well hey, what happened with your father wasn't your fault and showing you that room was the least I could do... though I wasn't sure what your reaction would be at the time. And what happened with Meiling... that wasn't your fault either." She reached her hand up and touched his face. "It really wasn't."  
"And I know you feel like you should have done more, should have watched but it wasn't your responsibility." Her hand stroked his cheek. The door opened a crack and Ryao peeked in. He watched Sakura whisper consoling words to a crest fallen Syaoran, he watched her hand stroke his cheek and felt a little pang of jealousy. He knew he wasn't _that_ into her but she was what _he_ wanted and if that wasn't enough reason to get her he didn't know what was. He closed the door after a brief look at her clothing or lack there of. He swore to himself that she'd be his.

"Sakura." Syaoran whispered. "Pretend to be mine, at least until the ball." Sakura blinked rapidly in bewilderment.

"Ryao won't leave you alone if you don't. He wants you and I don't trust him, he wants your body…" He trailed off. "Sakura please, I can't protect you from a distance. Not from him, he's family now. I can't… I can't let anything happen to you." He took her hands in his. "You helped me. Let me help you."

"Syaoran…" she whispered. She didn't know what to say. He was willing to lose face and pretend to be her boyfriend to make this guy leave her alone and she knew from Ryao's demeanor that there was no way he would leave her away even if she _was_ taken. It might make him hesitate a bit but it wouldn't make him stop. So now the problem was whether she should take Syaoran up on his offer or to reject it. Which one did she think would work better? Neither. Which one did she want? She wanted to know what it would be like to be his, she'd never really seen him in a serious relationship and if they staged a relationship like his relationships usually were it would never work. He'd have to pretend to be serious about her. He'd have to… that'd be the only way to delay Ryao's attempts. She wanted to know… She made her decision.

"Syaoran I can't." She smiled sadly. "He's not going to stop either way. He wants me no matter what the cost and no matter what the obstacles. I won't let you be a victim of him. Syaoran, you're important to me. My life wouldn't be the same without you but I can't put you in that position. I can protect myself." Syaoran smiled the same sad smile.

"Yes, you can." He said. "But I won't let you." He got up abruptly. "Get dressed, I'll be outside your room if you need me." He strolled out of the room quickly and closed the door firmly behind him. Sakura sighed. She wanted to know what it was like… but she couldn't use him like that. If she ever was to be with him it would have to be real. She cut herself away from the thought. The 'if' was new. A week ago she would have pissed herself laughing at the thought of being labeled his girlfriend. Things were so confusing now, she felt herself being tugged towards him but she kept pulling back. If she was lucky the connection would snap. Or… would that be unlucky? She didn't know… she didn't know what she wanted anymore. None the less she hurried to get dressed it would be unwise to keep him waiting.

Syaoran sighed against the wall, he wanted her to say yes. He didn't know why but he wanted to hold her hand to claim her as his own. He wanted her. Or did he? He tried to convince himself that he was just doing it for her safety, her innocence. Maybe if he could convince his mind he could convince his heart too. What was going on with him lately?

She flung a black dress over her head and forgot about shoes her foot was a little too swollen at the moment for any good shoes. She tied her hair up in a bun and left her room.

"Thank you." She said quietly to the sunken figure. Syaoran looked at her – beautiful, as usual.

"It was the least I could do, I can't have that creep coming into your room while you're changing." She just smiled and shook her head.

"Come on, let's go downstairs and wait for your sisters." She motioned for him to walk with her.

--

Sakura sat in the living room alone as she waited for the Li siblings to re-appear from the hallway. She was invited by Syaoran to join them but she felt it would be wrong to be involved in such a personal matter. She let out a long sigh… but she was so bored.

"that was a hefty sigh." _His_ voice sounded, she resisted the urge to bang her head on the nearest thing it would do her no good to knock herself unconscious. With her luck he'd lug her up to an un used room and have his away wit her. No better to stay conscious, she could say nothing of staying sane though.

"Touch me and die twerp." She threatened without looking at him. She continued to flip through the channels. She felt the couch sink with his extra weight.

"I'll be careful." He replied. "I'm not into fist fights and you're little boy toy is determined to thrust his knuckles into my face at any chance he can get without it being wholly unreasonable." His voice got hard as he spoke. Sakura couldn't help laughing.

"You think this is funny?" He glared.

"Entirely." She replied, still not looking at him. His eyes flashed red as he watched her rise. She threw him the remote.

"You should listen to what Syaoran says." Her eyes locked with his. "He's hell bent on protecting me and if you give him a chance to hurt you, he'll do it. You got on his bad side. That's a new record actually, I haven't seen anyone get him this pissed off this quickly… hmm.. ever." She smirked "Congratulations on making your death bed." She exited the room without a second glance.

Sakura walked into her room and turned on her stereo as loud as it would go. She skipped songs until she came upon Santa Fe from RENT. She smiled mysteriously and started swaying to the music. Soon her mouth opened and the notes came flowing out in perfect harmony. She loved his voice. It was gorgeous. Deep, soothing… sexy. She closed her eyes and imagined a super handsome guy in front of her. When she opened her eyes he was there, staring her in the eyes.

"Syaoran… what are you doing up here, shouldn't you be down stairs with your sisters?"

He shook his head. "I should be right where I am." She looked at him affectionately. "Pretend to be mine." She whispered. "Just until the ball." She took two steps forwards.

"I'll pretend to be yours." He replied. "for as long as you want me to." He took two steps to meet her.

"Start now." Her heels lifted off the floor, her hand went around his head and pulled it down so his lips would meet hers in a lustful kiss.

--

**Ooo! She gave in. What cause this change of mind? Was it her heart? Was Ryao watching from the doorway? Or could she just not resist the chance to be his… even if it is pretend.**

**P.S. My new favourite song, which I may incorporate in the next chapter is 'Never Ever' by the All Saints. I used to listen to it when I was little and now I'm rediscovering it. **

**Friends, Readers, Reviewers. My Lovelies! Only Review if you really want to. I will never in my life time force you to review, that'd be pretty hypocritical on my part. I only really review when I'm in a good mood. **

**Thank you everyone for sticking with the story this long.**

**Jiade-103**


	13. Day 12

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS

An Unpredictable Month

Recap: _"Syaoran… what are you doing up here, shouldn't you be down stairs with your sisters?" _

_He shook his head. "I should be right where I am." She looked at him affectionately. "Pretend to be mine." She whispered. "Just until the ball." She took two steps forwards. _

"_I'll pretend to be yours." He replied. "for as long as you want me to." He took two steps to meet her. _

"_Start now." Her heels lifted off the floor, her hand went around his head and pulled it down so his lips would meet hers in a lustful kiss._

Chapter 13

Day 12

August 12th.

The world seemed to stop. Everything was perfect. It was so unreal, so much like a fantasy. Bliss. Pure, heartwarming, unbelievable bliss. It was just like pretend. _This __**is **__pretend._ She reminded herself. It wasn't real. It was a fantasy. But she didn't want it to be fake and she didn't understand why. Sure it was probably completely obvious to everyone else but to her? To him? Wait… was it obvious to him? Was what was unobvious to her completely obvious to him? Whatever it was it couldn't be good. If she was actually _liking, loving_ being around him then it couldn't be good. He couldn't know. She sunk back into her mattress. Yes he could. She smiled. She wouldn't mind if he knew everything just as long as he didn't stop pretending.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in." She said dreamily. "Unless of course you're Ryao." She added as an after thought. The person at the door chuckled.

"And if I am?" They said. She smiled contently.

"Well if you are then I'd have to tell you that you are a git." She said. "And to leave me alone." She walked slowly forwards as the door opened and revealed Syaoran. "but seeing as you are not, I won't say such cruel things." Her hand traveled up his chest over his baby blue t-shirt. "And since you are you I think I'll even allow you to stay."

"How generous of you." He said sarcastically, but he was smiling and held her hand against his chest. "and I think I'll accept that gracious invitation." He closed the door securely behind him and Sakura led him to the bed. Together they laid there holding each other just because they could. A once in a life time chance. The one time that they could hold each other, touch each other, kiss each other, be with each other and if it all went wrong they could blame if on the game. The Pretend. But the ball was in 4 days. Was this all going to end after that? Did she want it to? Did he want it to?

"How long?" She asked. He looked at her puzzled. "How long can we pretend."

"As long as we want." He replied.

"But what if…" She trailed off but forced herself to continue. "What if it gets to hard?" She asked.

"Then we'll quit." He responded.

"That's not what I meant." She replied quietly. "What if… what if it gets to hard _to_ quit."

"It's me and you." He said. "We'll figure it out."

"What if someone gets hurt." She said. Syaoran didn't reply. He didn't know what to say. He knew someone would get hurt, he knew he would get hurt. He wanted to be with her to much. It was a dangerous game they were playing.

"No one will get hurt." He assured her. He lied. He felt Sakura nod next to him. He suppressed a sigh, she bought it. He couldn't let her know that he was developing forbidden feelings towards her. He knew he was going to get hurt when they stopped pretending but he didn't need the extra pain of 'I'm sorry, I don't feel that way towards you' of course she didn't he'd have been surprised it she did. But he didn't need to hear it so clearly, it was better if it was a little foggy and he could trick his heart into thinking maybe she could feel the same way towards him but to hear it so definite really wasn't necessary. He wasn't going to ignore the feelings anymore. He was going to be honest with himself. He liked her, liked her a lot more than he should. For now however, he'd let himself and his feelings spill out in this pretend and suck them back up when it was over. He wasn't going to lie to her about his feelings even if she thought he was just because of the game. No, it was much easier to be honest. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Don't worry about a thing, it'll be fine in the end."

--

He leaned against the fridge blocking her way.

"Come on, you can't be serious, dating a guy like him. I'm more of a man than he is. I'm perfect for you."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah if annoying, conceited and self loving was my type you'd be perfect. As it turns out it's not." She gave up on trying to get a drink and put the cup down on the counter.

"You know you want me." He said.

"You're just not my type." She replied easily. "I don't date girls."

"Why you little…" His angry voice trailed off. His eyes looked pointedly at the doorway.

"Hey Syaoran." Ryao said. "Nice of you to drop in." Syaoran stepped into the kitchen and raised his eye brow.

"Hey Sakura." He kissed her on the cheek. "My sister's want to spend the day with you. Female bonding or whatever. Something about they have to 'get to know my girlfriend on a more personal level.'" He used his figures in an air quotation kind of way. You could clearly tell he wasn't happy about it.

"Sure." She said happily. "sounds like a blast! Do you know what we're doin'?"

"Shopping." Was his immediate response. "Shopping and… shopping. I assume you might stop to get a bite to eat somewhere along the way but pretty much … shopping." He rolled his.

"Shopping, what a beautiful word." She smiled wistfully.

"Ugh, Girls." Syaoran shivered. Sakura wrapped her arms his neck.

"But you like girls." She said.

"Love them." He replied. He kissed her lips softly. "They're waiting for you in your room. You should go." But he didn't release her.

"I know I should." She didn't remove her arms. They just stood there gazing into each others eyes.

"I'm going to be sick." Ryao made a gagging noise and ran out of the kitchen. Sakura and Syaoran kept staring at each other. Their thoughts alike; _'what's to happen to us?' _They pondered the thought while they held each other.

"Kawaii!" Five vibrantly happy voices sounded near them. They tore their eyes from each other and looked at the women. Sakura jumped apart from Syaoran like he was on fire.

"Tomoyo…" she said surprised "What.. what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you of course. The last time I saw you… you were in an... awkward situation." She said cautiously. "I see you've resolved it though." Sakura blushed a deep red. She just _had_ to bring that night up. Temptation. But was what she was doing much different than then. Pretending to be the girlfriend of the guy she used to hate. That time she was testing his self control and got wrapped up in it. Was she testing him now? Was she just waiting until he broke? What was it exactly that she was doing? Was it wrong? Was it right? Would it help? Was she just giving into temptations? Would she get hurt? Her eyes flashed with questions so quickly no one could understand.

"Well… it's great to see you again Tomoyo. Are you and Eriol together yet?" Her friend blushed an even deeper red than she had.

"Well… I guess you could say that…" Tomoyo said smiling. Sakura squealed and hugged her friend.

"Finally!" She said.

"And I can see with my own two eyes and you and Syaoran are dating now." Tomoyo said. Sakura just nodded. She didn't trust herself to lie to Tomoyo convincingly. Tomoyo eyed her skeptically before letting out her own squeal of delight.

"Finally! I've been trying to get you guys together for years! Every time I think I've made progress you guys go right back to square one! Who thought you'd progress on your own! Oh this is wonderful!" She continued her banter happily falling into a full on conversation with the Li sisters. Ryao stood a couple feet away listening with renewed self doubt. How could he steal a girl away when it was so completely obvious that her and this guy were meant to be. They'd been destined for years. There was no way he could pull them apart. She'd never be his… But giving up wasn't him…

"And then there was this time when Sakura blurting out about them making out in the closet! That was so shocking!" Sakura stood there shaking he her head at Tomoyo and Syaoran's sisters. Her hand intertwined with his and they looked at each other affectionately. Ryao glanced at them loathingly.

--

Sakura followed the girls up to her room and almost died when she saw it filled with clothing.

"I couldn't come without gifts!" Tomoyo explained the organized mess excitedly.

"You are horrible." Sakura announced. Tomoyo chanted enthusiastically for her to try them on immediately but Sakura just shook her head and desperately asked the sister's if they were leaving soon.

"Yes, yes we are. We were just going to suggest that you put some shoes on so we can go." Shiefa said.

"I'm starving and there's no way I'm eating in here. I feel like it's haunted now." Feimei spoke. Sakura resisted the urge to glare at her.

"Thanks, now I'm going to be freaked out for the rest of the month."

"Month?" Feimei asked.

"Yeah. I'm staying here a month." Sakura replied. "I thought you knew."

"We didn't know." Fanran said. "Are you staying here just to stay with your boyfriend or what?"

"Fanfan!" Fuutie chasted. "It's her business… forgive my sister."

"No it's alright." Sakura smiled. "I'm a friend of your mother's. I used to visit here a lot when I was little. My father is on an expedition and I couldn't go with him so I'm staying here until the end of the month when he gets back."

"And, then there's the extra bonus of Syaoran, the sex god, living under the same roof." Tomoyo but in.

"Thanks Tomoyo way to be subtle." Sakura rolled her eyes. "And I so didn't know you were into my boyfriend. If I had known… Oh what would Eriol say."

"That's not what I meant." Tomoyo replied. "And you know it."

"I don't know that." Sakura smirked. "And as a loyal friend it is my duty to tell Eriol of your heart wrenching betrayal."

"You wouldn't!" Tomoyo challenged

"Oh I would." Sakura replied. She picked up her cell phone from off the dresser.

"Hi Eriol?" She said. Tomoyo's jaw dropped. "Yes, Hi. It's Sakura… nothing really. I've got your girlfriend here though… yes… yes… just fine… we were having an interesting conversation… It just _breaks_ my heart to have to tell you this but… Tomoyo is into Syaoran… mhm… called him a _sex god_ and everything… yes… It is just terrible... no I'm not lying you can ask her." She lifted the phone up and said. "Tell him Tomoyo.

"It's not true! Eriol!" She shouted. Sakura tisked and put the phone to her ear.

"There you heard her… she loves him. I'm sorry I had to be the one to break it to you… yes… its painful… mhm.. mhmm.. Oh!.. mhm.. mhm… okay.. Well I'll talk to you later Eriol. Bye." She snapped her cell phone shut. Tomoyo cursed her porously before running out of the room and out of the mansion. Sakura slipped on a pair of comfortable flats, she didn't want to test her ankle just yet. She looked at the four women.

"Well, shall we go?" She smiled. The women looked at her with pure bewilderment.

--

"Guys I cannot carry another bag" Sakura fell onto the bench in exhaustion. The sister's looked at her and started laughing.

"You are so cute!" They said. "No wonder Xiao Lang loves you."

"Loves?" Sakura asked. "We haven't even said 'I love you' yet."

"Well he acts like he loves you." Fuutie pointed out tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear.

"We haven't been around for a while but we know when he's lovesick and he's lovesick over you." Fanfan agreed. Sakura blushed. She played if off as if she was just acting but truth was she was blushing because the thought of Syaoran lovesick over her was… pleasant. _Oh God_ she thought. _This can't be happening to me_.

"Yeah, he's serious about you." Sheifa said. Sakura laughed it off.

"I think he's just trying to play it up a bit." Sakura said.

"Why would he do that?" Feimei asked.

"To make Ryao get the message that I'm not interested in him." Sakura said bluntly. The sisters stared at her and then Feimei blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." Sakura said. "That was frank. It's just Ryao had been trying to get me to you know… be with him. It forced me and Syaoran to drastic measures." At least that wasn't a lie.

"What do you mean… drastic measures?" Sheifa asked suspiciously.

"We were trying to keep us on the DL." Sakura replied. "And we couldn't do that with Ryao making passes at me every chance he got."

"Has he stopped?" Feimei asked concerned. Sakura shook her head.

"Well, no. He never gives up. You think he'd see us happy and leave us alone. But he wont. Every time he gets me alone it's 'date me' or 'be with me' or trying to hold my hand or something like that."

"I apologize for him." Feimei said.

"Don't." Sakura said. "He's the one at fault, it's his apology that needs to be given. From his own mouth." Sakura smiled at the woman.

"You're all so beautiful." She sighed. "I wish I could look that good." The sister's exchanged a look before pulling Sakura up and dragging her off.

"Guys, what are you? What? No. No! NO!"

--

"This is going to kill him." A hushed voice said. Another voice giggled.

"Shh!"

"what?"

"Quiet, he'll hear you."

"Do you have your camera?"

"Yeah."

"Oh no."

"what?"

"I have to pee."

"Hold it in."

"Oh god, who farted?"

"sorry."

"I can't hold it!"

"You have to!"

"Shh!!"

"Here she comes..."

--

"Um Syaoran." Sakura said shyly. Syaoran looked up from his book, his eyes widened as he looked her up and down. She bit her bottom lip and played with the hem of her dress. Syaoran stood up in front of her.

"What are you wearing?" He asked in a harsh tone. Sakura flinched.

"Your sister's dressed me up." She replied. "Do you like it?" Syaoran's eyes softened.

"You look beautiful." He said. Sakura smiled up at him.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yes." He ran his hand down the red satin material that covered her waist. He pulled her into him and took her right hand.

"Dance with me." He whispered. Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder and they started a slow waltz to silence's symphony.

"Sakura…" He whispered breathlessly. His hand trailed from her waist to her face. He felt her soft skin and held her head loosely. She leaned into his touch. He caught himself before his lips met hers, he switched his hand placement and dipped her backwards. He swung her around and continued their waltz.

--

"so cute."

"I know!"

"I knew he loved her."

"So in love."

"Completely."

"I really, really, _really_ have to pee."

"Shut up Feimei."

"This is so romantic."

"I wish she had let us put her in heels."

"Her foot is swollen!"

"So? Buy two different sized shoes, no big deal."

"You're merciless."

--

Syaoran felt himself gravitating towards her and refused to stop. He wanted to do this, he could do this. They were 'dating'. His hand once again made it's way to her face and held it. He leaned in and placed his lips upon hers in a sweet kiss.

"It's late." He said when they parted. She nodded her agreement.

"You should head to bed." He continued. "Sleep is the best medication." He nodded towards her ankle that seemed to be going back to normal size. She nodded again.

"Goodnight Syaoran." Sakura turned away and left the room, leaving Syaoran to watch her disappear around the bend.

--

The four sisters sat in the closet watching their brother cautiously. Analyzing his every movement.

--

Sakura ran back into the room and threw herself into an earth shattering kiss. Syaoran, once surprised now held Sakura as close to his body as he could without harming her and Sakura held on equally as tightly. She stopped the kiss after a moment and slowly walked backwards holding onto him until their hands could no longer feel each others. She turned once again and left the room silently. Syaoran let out a breath and smiled before walking out of the room himself.

--

Syaoran found himself leaning against his door and thinking back. He saw her in front of him. She was in that beautiful red silk knee length dress. He saw the small cut down the cleavage leaving two square shaped materials covering her chest. He could almost feel the contours of body against the irresistible material. He saw her long, creamy legs walking towards him. He slid against the door trying to rid himself of the thoughts plaguing him.

"You look happy." Syaoran's head snapped up at the voice. "Actually happy doesn't even begin to cover it. You look dreamy."

"Ryao." Syaoran said. "What are you doing in my room? You know just cause Sakura doesn't want you doesn't mean I do. I don't swing that way."

"Ha ha very funny." The other guy said. "I actually just wanted to let you know that I'm giving up on Sakura so you can stop pretending to like her."

"I'm not pretending." Syaoran replied easily.

"As if you're not. All the hot models and actresses you could have and you chose a down to earth, thinks for herself girl?" Ryao laughed. "I know you're just pretending, doesn't matter anyways. She is too. A girl like that liking a guy like you? Not likely." Syaoran resisted the urge to clutch his heart in an overly dramatic way.

"Oh give it a rest. You can't get at her by attacking me." Syaoran said. "I like her, she likes me that's just how the story goes and oh guess what? You're not in it so get lost."

"Whatever you say man, but I'm not as daft as you think. There's only one explanation to why she's acting this way with you and not with me. She wants to make me jealous problem is I don't want to chase someone. I don't do that. If they run I'll come after them for a few yards but I don't run. The more you chase the more they like you when you catch them and I just can't hurt someone that much. I'm not into runners."

"I don't care what you're into." Syaoran replied.

"Whatever you say. Like I said, I'm through with her. I'm onto bigger things. Oh and I didn't hear you say _love_ anywhere in that story. Got a problem with _love?_ You're just another player like me." He said.

"I love her okay, happy now?! Now leave." Syaoran opened the door and tossed Ryao out. Ryao saluted and laughed as Syaoran slammed the door in his face.

Sayoran fell onto his bed and groaned angrily. It wasn't enough that he was hurting himself being with her, even if it was pretend, but he'd told Ryao he actually _loved_ her. If that leaked out, sure it would seem like a clever act to Sakura but to his sisters? His sisters would attack him. He groaned again. And the day started out so good.

--

Hey peoples. Yeah. I'm back. And this is short but I REALLY, REALLY want it to be the ball already. I've been dying to write that scene forever!

I'm gonna do something or other (I haven't decided what to do now that I'm done this chapter) Talk to you later!

Oh! Before I forget! Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed the last chapter =D.

And thank you again to Callista Miralni for your advice.

**Review only if you want to. **


	14. Day 13

An Unpredictable Month

Recap_: Sayoran fell onto his bed and groaned angrily. It wasn't enough that he was hurting himself being with her, even if it was pretend, but he'd told Ryao he actually loved her. If that leaked out, sure it would seem like a clever act to Sakura but to his sisters? His sisters would attack him. He groaned again. And the day started out so good._

Chapter 14

Day 13

August 13th

Three days till the grand ball. Sakura started absently out of the window. Three days, that's all she had left with him. Of course when she said with him she meant _with_ him, as a couple. She would still be with him afterwards of course. For another two weeks give or take she'd still be living in his house for once since this all began she started to think about the aftermath. What would happen when it was over? And it ended badly. How would she survive? He'd be angry, she could see it now. Of course she'd seen him angry but she could imagine that he wouldn't be able to look at her once it ended and she thought deeply. There's no way it would end well. How could she look at him even If it ended well? She loved him. She admitted it. She loved him more than anything. And whether it ended good or bad the point was it was going to end. It was inevitable. But she didn't want it to end, she wanted it to last forever.

Sakura fell onto her bed and groaned angrily. How did this happen? Why couldn't she just hate him? Like she used to, or did she really ever hate him? She sighed. She was walking into disaster. What a shitty way to start a day.

Sakura walked down the stairs without seeing where she was going. She sat down on a chair in the kitchen playing with the food placed in front of her. She sighed. She stared at her food but didn't actually eat it. She didn't want it. The smell was intoxicating but it turned her off.

There was a clearing of the throat.

Sakura looked up and noticed for the first time that she wasn't alone. Syaoran, his sisters and his mother and Ryao were all there.

"Are you okay?" Feimei asked.

"Yes." Sakura replied quietly, her voice rang through the silence. She got up wordlessly and left her half mushed up food there. Sakura walked through the house and into her room. She grabbed her iPod and put in her ear buds, she escaped into the music. The music drowned out her thoughts. That's all she wanted today, to not think.

Sakura wandered aimlessly through the yard. She didn't register the roses or tulips or even the pool. She just continued to try not to think and in turn….thought too much. She hadn't even noticed that she'd walked out of the back yard, into the front yard and then onto the sidewalk. Walking and walking and walking some more. _Maybe he loves me too?_ Or _maybe he doesn't. Maybe I should call this whole thing off, I'm in way over my head. WAY over my head. _She sighed and sat down wearily. _I can't believe I'm thinking about this again. Seems lately that it's all I think about. _She started to swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. _Maybe I should tell him how I'm feeling. That's what normal couples do in a relationship right?_ Sakura scoffed at herself as her toes scrapped the ground lightly before lifting into the air. _You're not a in a relationship Sakura, and you're certainly not a normal couple._ She blew out all the air she was holding inside. _I can't believe I'm about to say this…_

"I'm in love with Syaoran." Sakura said aloud.

"I know." A deep voice behind her said. She whipped her head around. It was at that moment that she finally realized she was at the park. She same park she had run away to when she was mad at Li and he'd come to get her and dragged her off home, at the price of injuring her foot. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was standing in front of her. _I cannot believe I just admitted that in front of him. Of all the people in the world who I could have confessed that to, it just had to be him_.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Following you," He replied. "What did you expect? You were out alone with your luck you'd get lost and not know how to get back, plus you were clearly out of it at breakfast. I watched you walk down the street and decided I would watch over you."

"More like wait until no one was around so you could take advantage of me." She retorted and turned around on her swing, facing away from him. Sakura felt his hot breath on the side of her neck and watched out of the corner of her eye as he put his hands on the chains around her.

"Maybe." He replied. "Maybe that was my intention, but you've just confessed that you're in love with Li. I'm not going to take advantage of someone whose heart I can't tear a part later."

Sakura shivered unpleasantly, "you couldn't have torn my heart a part, or possessed it if your life depended on it Ryao. Not even if I weren't in love with Syaoran."

"Oh, so you wouldn't get all heart broken if I told Li that you were madly in love with him?" Ryao asked.

"I am _not_ _**madly**_ in love with him." She protested.

"Close enough my love." Ryao replied. Sakura jumped up off the swing and spun around to face him.

"I am _not_ your love" Sakura seethed. "Nor will I ever be. Why can't you just leave me alone? I'm not interested in you, not once has it even crossed my mind that you would be a good person to be with or even someone to spend a night with. So give up!"

"Whoa, relax." He raised his hands in surrender. "It was a nickname Sakura, not a threat or something like that."

"Nickname?" She asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I always nickname my friends with affectionate names. You know… like hun or love or beautiful… sweetheart, stuff like that and the girls I just want to sleep with I always call them babe or baby or something demeaning like that." Ryao explained casually. "You should be happy, you've evolved from babe to love."

"I should be _happy_ about that?" She asked. Ryao nodded his head. "Well, just don't call me love in front of Syaoran."

"Why not? A little jealousy could do him good." Ryao said casually. "And trust me, he would get jealous. He's _madly_ in love with you too."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I highly doubt that Ryao." She sighed. "It'd be nice though." She sat back down on the swing and Ryao began to push her.

"I'm not lying to you, "Ryao replied. "When have I ever lied to you? Plus, I always seem to be at the right place at the wrong time. Example: Walking past Li's room while he was sighing dreamily and being a wise ass and taunting him. – that's about the time when he shouted about loving you. Example number two: Stalking you into a park where you reluctantly say out loud that you're in love with Li. Both of those times I bet you both would have rather kept those thoughts to yourself." Ryao explained.

"He was lying." Sakura said.

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?"

"Me." She replied. "It'd be better not to get my hopes up."

"You know what I don't understand?" Ryao asked, still pushing her. "Why you're so concerned about him loving you, when you two are dating." Sakura's breath got caught in her throat and she didn't reply.

"We uh…" She tried to think of a false response… something convincing. "We uh…" She let her body go lax.

"We're pretending to date." She admitted finally. "I talked him into it." Ryao burst out laughing.

"Pretending to date? Why?"

"To get you to leave me alone." She replied sheepishly.

"Well it worked." He laughed. "I've been sitting here thinking 'it'd be stupid to break up something so real with two people who were obviously meant to be. And all this time it was all a lie." He laughed some more. "Well most of it anyways. I'm pretty convinced that you two are meant to be. So I'm going to stay out of it. Would you like me to pretend to chase you so you can keep pretending to date?" Ryao continued to laugh. Sakura's mouth twitched into a smile and started laughing as well.

"It's not that funny." She said, but her eyes an mouth were smiling.

"Hey, you smiled." He smiled.

"Yeah, I do that sometimes." She said sarcastically.

"Not lately." He said seriously. "every time you're not with Li you seem to be sad and your eyes are always downcast. It's depressing."

"Hey have you been stalking me?" She asked. "I'm pretty sure I'm only depressed when I'm alone."

"Obviously I've been stalking you. I told you that already." He laughed. Sakura smiled.

"You know, you're not that bad for a pervert." She said jokingly.

"And you're not that bad for a liar." He retorted. Sakura's mouth opened into an 'O' shape.

"I am _not_ a liar." She moved to smack him but he ran off and she chased after him. Screaming 'I am not a liar!"

* * *

"I went up to the mall," Sakura said "and I met up with Ryao there. We didn't even hang out together, honest. He just followed me home." Syaoran looked at them both skeptically, and so did his sisters.

"You walked… all the way to the mall?" He asked.

"Yeah." Sakura nodded. "I just started walking and it was so nice out…." She trailed off. "Don't you believe me?"

"Of course I do Sakura." Syaoran said, surprised with her sudden change of tone. "Sorry, I was just… worried about you that's all."

"Well I'm fine." She smiled. "And I think my ankle's better." She smiled brighter. "Honestly Syaoran, I just went to the mall… nothing happened at all. I swear." She kissed his cheek and started off towards the stairs, Ryao followed her.

"Liar." He whispered, his face painted with a smile. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. He walked ahead of her and disappeared, his laughter still echoing in her ear.

* * *

I know, it's a REALLY short chapter thingy… I'm trying to just hurry up and get to the ball. Even I'm excited for it . XD . I can't wait!

I'm SO SORRY! IT'S SO LATEEE! AAAH! I EVEN PROMISED THAT I'D UPDATE WEEKS AGO AND I FORGOT! …. And then I had college applications to and… im taking two English classes this semester so lots of stuff to do with that. I'm really, really sorry everybody.. DX.


	15. Day 14

An Unpredictable Month

Recap: _"You know, you're not that bad for a pervert." She said jokingly._

_"And you're not that bad for a liar." He retorted. Sakura's mouth opened into an 'O' shape._

_"I am not a liar." She moved to smack him but he ran off and she chased after him. Screaming 'I am not a liar!"_

"_I went up to the mall," Sakura said "and I met up with Ryao there. We didn't even hang out together, honest. He just followed me home." Syaoran looked at them both skeptically, and so did his sisters. _

_"You walked… all the way to the mall?" He asked. _

_"Yeah." Sakura nodded. "I just started walking and it was so nice out…." She trailed off. "Don't you believe me?"_

_"Of course I do Sakura." Syaoran said, surprised with her sudden change of tone. "Sorry, I was just… worried about you that's all."_

_"Well I'm fine." She smiled. "And I think my ankle's better." She smiled brighter. "Honestly Syaoran, I just went to the mall… nothing happened at all. I swear." She kissed his cheek and started off towards the stairs, Ryao followed her. _

_"Liar." He whispered, his face painted with a smile. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. He walked ahead of her and disappeared, his laughter still echoing in her ear_

Chapter 15

Day 14

August 14th

Sakura sat in her room just relaxing, Syaoran had gone out shopping with his sisters and Yelan was dealing with the ball preparations so she was out of town for the day. She was home… by herself. She sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Sighing that is. Her eyes stung and she closed her eyes to make the stinging away, she hadn't been sleeping well lately. It was impossible dreams of Syaoran haunted her. She opened her eyes.

"Hey." Ryao waved from her door way. Sakura raised her eye brow ignoring the startled feeling in her stomach.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I thought everyone was gone." She curled her legs up and crossed them patting the mattress to invite him to sit down.

Ryao moved forwards, "Yeah, everyone but me and you. I'm on house arrest until the ball." He sat down in front of her on the soft bed.

"House arrest? Honestly?" She laughed.

"Yeah, someone told my mom that I was stalking them and she grounded me." He said pointedly at Sakura. Sakura gave him and innocent look in return. "I broke the rules when I went out yesterday to follow you and now I'm not allowed to go anywhere until the ball." He said checking out his nails absently.

"You shouldn't have been stalking me then." Sakura replied smiling. It was so easy to talk to him.

"Yeah, well. You shouldn't have told my sisters I was trying to bed you." Ryao retorted.

"I don't think those were my exact words." Sakura said.

"Oh yeah, what were your exact words then?" He questioned mockingly.

"I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure the words 'bed' did not come out of my mouth at that time." She told him. Ryao rolled his eyes and laid down.

"So what with you and Li?" He asked. "You told him you love him yet? Or should I be asking if you believe what I told you yet?"

"Both." She replied. She sighed, again. "I haven't told him. And I'm not sure I can believe you. I spent the last couple days avoiding you. How do I know that this isn't some stupid trick to get me comfortable with you so you can tear us apart?" She asked jokingly.

"You don't." He laughed, "But why would I do that?"

"Because you can?" She said.

"Can I?" He questioned. "No matter, I don't feel the need to." He sat up suddenly. "You want some food? I'm starving." Sakura's stomach growled at the word 'food' and she laughed.

"Yeah, guess I'm kind of hungry." She accepted Ryao's out stretched hand and followed him into the kitchen. He didn't bother asking her what she wanted to eat he just reached up into the cupboard and pulled out a box of cereal.

"I'm too lazy to cook." He explained simply. He placed two bowls on the table, across from each other and grabbed the milk and spoons.

"Dig in." He said. Sakura gave him an amused look but filled up her bowl anyways. The meal wasn't eaten in silence like before, this time it was filled with conversation and jokes. It was like talking to a long lost best friend. It was different than talking to Syaoran who tended to tease her and joke around and often times annoy her and make her feel bad about herself while also making herself feel amazingly good about herself. No, this is more like talking to Tomoyo, without the fashion and the… okay so nothing like talking to Tomoyo. This was a different easy kind of friendship that she'd never had before. Eriol and Syaoran were the only guy friends she'd ever had thought of as best friends and they were always teasing her like she was their little sister or in Syaoran's case trying to kiss her or dance with her or all those fun kind of things that made her fall in love with him in the first place. Talking to Ryao was like talking to a _friend_ not a brother or a sister or another family member. Talking to Ryao made her think of Jacob from _New Moon_ without the tangled love affair. It was like talking to Jacob Black before he decides to admit that he's in love with her and ruined everything.

"Don't turn into a Werewolf and run around with a pack and be a douche and ruin everything okay?" Sakura said suddenly. Ryao looked up at her in confusion.

"Okay?" He looked at her like she was slightly crazy.

"Just sayin'" She said.

* * *

Sakura' s eyes began to sting again. She looked helplessly at the television.

"You got your dress for the ball yet?" Ryao asked from beside her.

"No, not yet." She said. "I probably should though."

Ryao shrugged, "well, the ball isn't for another couple of days… it's the fourteenth right? That means the balls not for another three days. You have time." Sakura whirled around to face him.

"The ball's on the 17th?" She asked. "I thought it was the 16th."

"No, then you'd only have two days to get a dress, my counting is much better than yours, it gives you more time." Ryao said. "Plus, it's the 17th, think back."

Sakura thought back to her first day here, when Syaoran had first told her that he wanted her to be his date. _She was knocking on the door. Then she was shouting at Syaoran. Then she was dancing with him. Then she was running away from Tomoyo._ She laughed aloud. _She was kissing Syaoran. Then she was in his room… such a green room. And then 'My mother is having a ball on the 17__th__ and I have to get a date……._

"Oh." She said aloud. "You're right. Three days." She slouched into her seat. "It's approaching so quickly and yet so slowly. I mean it's a ball so of course I'm excited… so it's coming very slowly and yet I know that me and Syaoran… we're only keeping this up until after the ball. Then it's over. The magic spell will break."

"You're not Cinderella here love." Ryao said. "No spells are breaking at the strike of midnight."

"You don't know that." She insisted.

"Yes I do, Li's in love with you my love and you're in love with him. Nothing bad will happen as long as one of you says something. But of course, if I were to say this to him he wouldn't believe me. So it has to be you." Ryao said simply. "You're stronger than you think love, you can do this."

"No I can't. I'm afraid of rejection. I don't even know how long I've loved him for." She sighed.

"Probably since forever." Ryao said. "And it doesn't even matter. How long isn't the point. Haven't you read _Dear John_? They loved each other for a total of like two weeks and viola, it ended cause she's a sleeze and got married to someone else."

"Not helping." Sakura rolled her eyes. "And that didn't happen in the movie."

"Obviously not, movies never portray what a book can. In the movie yay, they get back together at the very end. In the book… though they were all 'I'll love you forever' .. it ended heartbreakingly and blah blah blah, point is.. It doesn't matter how long you've been loving him for the point is you love him."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She sighed and then her eyes shot open. "Now that's something I never thought I'd say." The laughed.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. I am very intelligent you know." Ryao protested.

"Yeah and girly enough to read _Dear John_." She laughed some more.

"Hey! Guys can read romancy novels too!"

"Oh I get it, you were trying to get at me cause you're gay.." She laughed. "It's okay hun, It's okay to come out of the closet now." She smiled.

"I'm not in the closet." He said defensively.

"I'm just kidding Ryao… no need to get all grumpy." Her laughter died but her smile remained.

Sakura sighed, "I'm thinking about him again." She said. "I can't seem to stop."

"Suck it up kid." Ryao replied. "It ain't never gonna stop." Sakura's eyes started to slowly close at the sound of Ryao's voice. It was soft but rigged, not sexy like Syaoran's but with a certain edginess that put her to sleep. Even though the first time she's heard it it made her think of evil now it just reminded her of a kind grumpy man who was learning how to comfort his daughter or something like that. Either way it was soothing now, not creepy. Soothing…

Her head lolled and landed neatly on Rayo's shoulder as he complained half-heartedly about her falling asleep on him.

* * *

Syaoran arrived home later that night and wandered past the living room, only do to a double take and retrace his steps.

"What the…" He started. Sakura was lying with her head lying on Ryao's shoulder and Ryao was laying his head on hers… both of them sound asleep.

"Am I missing something?" He asked the sleeping figures.

* * *

I felt like doing a quick, short as hell update… just because even know the last chapter was crappy everyone who's reviewed so far has been amazingly nice and here I was waiting for someone to review saying it was unfinished or stupid or something like that… something that sounds about the same as saying it was bad and everyone was so nice and patient and I feel so grateful that you're all so amazing. Thanks everyone.

Jiade-103


	16. Day 15

Recap_: __Sakura sighed, "I'm thinking about him again." She said. "I can't seem to stop."_

_"Suck it up kid." Ryao replied. "It ain't never gonna stop." Sakura's eyes started to slowly close at the sound of Ryao's voice. It was soft but rigged, not sexy like Syaoran's but with a certain edginess that put her to sleep. Even though the first time she's heard it it made her think of evil now it just reminded her of a kind grumpy man who was learning how to comfort his daughter or something like that. Either way it was soothing now, not creepy. Soothing…_

_Her head lolled and landed neatly on Rayo's shoulder as he complained half-heartedly about her falling asleep on him._

_Syaoran arrived home later that night and wandered past the living room, only do to a double take and retrace his steps._

_"What the…" He started. Sakura was lying with her head lying on Ryao's shoulder and Ryao was laying his head on hers… both of them sound asleep._

_"Am I missing something?" He asked the sleeping figures._

Chapter 16

Day 15

August 15

Sakura wandered down to breakfast earlier than usual, she had no idea how she'd ended up in her bedroom last night but she wasn't complaining. If Syaoran had come home and seen her cuddled up to guy she's supposed hate and is supposed to be trying to get into her pants then she'd be in so much trouble.

"Hello." She smiled happily to the family, she sat down beside Syaoran and smiled up at him before grabbing some pancakes.

"You look happy today." He said, his voice and eyes were dark, "have a good sleep?"

"Yes." She smiled again, "the best." Ryao started cracking up from across the table. Sakura looked at him in confusion, she was definitely missing something.

"Am I missing something here?" She asked cautiously. The two boys looked at each other and then at her. As if sensing the tension Yelan stood up and asked her daughters to help her in her office, an invitation they gladly accepted.

"Enjoy your breakfast." Feimei said quickly before following after her mother.

"Sure thing Mom." Ryao laughed. Sakura stared at them both and they both stared back at her.

"uh…?"

"I didn't know you and Ryao were so close now." Syaoran spoke first. Sakura's blood froze. "Close enough to fall asleep on each other on the couch."

"Oh uh, about that…" Her voice trailed off trying to think of an excuse.

"It's okay my love, you don't need to explain anything." Ryao interrupted, "Syaoran, it is _exactly_ as it seems." Sakura's mouth dropped and Syaoran scowled. He didn't bother replying he got up and stormed out of the kitchen. Sakura glared at Ryao before running after her 'boyfriend'.

"I swear Syaoran! It's not what it seems at all!" She pleaded, "I swear I would _never_ cheat on you!"

"Sakura." He turned around his eyes soft but sad, "You couldn't cheat on me if you wanted to. We're not even dating." She almost asked him if he was breaking up with her, it took her a moment to remember that they weren't actually dating, it was all an act.

"But if it wasn't…" She continued, "I wouldn't." Her eyes were downcast, too embarrassed at the semi-confession to look at him. He lifted her chin up.

"I know." He said gently, "but it's not real. You can do whatever you want with him."

"I don't want to." She said stubbornly, "He's mean." Her childish pout caused Syaoran to chuckle. His chuckle faded into a deep sigh.

"Maybe we should stop." He said suddenly. Sakura's eyes darted to his. Her mouth opened but no words came out. She didn't want it to end.

"You can't deny the fact that you and Ryao are close now… he's obviously no trying to bed you… there's really no need for the act anymore." Sakura refrained from crying, she wanted to tell him that Ryao already knew it was a façade. She wanted to tell him everything. Including that she loved him and she didn't want it to end. But her voice was stuck in her throat. His mouth kept moving but her ears were flooded with the sound of her own heart beat, it sounded like drums, and it just kept getting faster and harder and faster and harder until she felt like it was going to explode.

"It's over."

And suddenly it stopped. She felt like someone had grabbed onto her heart and squeezed it until it stopped beating. She watched Syaoran as he turned and began to walk away, struggling to breathe she watched as the entire sequence turned black and white and slow motion. She watched his hair float as he took another step. She listened to his footsteps land on the marble floor and it echoed loudly, as if it was the only sound in the world.

Her eyes glistened as she watched and a foreign sound filled her ears. _Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. _The drums were back. She felt her lungs suck in the air and she tasted his seductive sent and as soon as it touched her tongue the world went back to its original speed. She felt dizzy and she wobbled on the spot but her voice drifted through the air none the less.

"Do you really want it to be over?"

Syaoran stopped in mid-step and turned to look at the girl he was secretly in love with. He looked at her watering eyes and the way she was looking at him… as if he was the only thing she could see.

Sakura watched him looking at her but couldn't muster a smile, her body seemed to tremble and her chest began to hurt. Her eyes fluttered and she felt cold.

"Syaoran…" She whispered as her body went limp and she fell to the hard floor. She felt the impact, the stone against her back but she didn't feel the pain that should have come, the pain that comes when you fall. Her eyes were open only long enough to see Syaoran's worried face staring back at her, his lips calling her name. She was awake only just long enough to hear his fading and blurring voice telling her to hang on. And then her world went black.

Syaoran paced in the sickeningly white room glancing occasionally at the beautiful blossom laying unmoving in the hospital bed. He'd been watching her stomach move up and down for an hour but still hadn't seen any other sign of life. She didn't move around restlessly as he knew she always did when sleeping. She didn't open her eyes or snore or do anything. He didn't understand. She was happy just that morning. She was smiling and eating her breakfast, cute as always. And now she was laying there… like a rag doll. Her face was still the same beautiful porcelain color as always and her lips were still that normal pink, it looked just like her but he saw her collapse. He watched her eyes shut. He's the one that raced her to the hospital and watched as they took her into a room he wasn't allowed in. He was there when they came out smiling, a good sign. He listened as they told him that she had a severe panic attack and should take it easy from now on but that'd she'd be fine. Well she didn't look fine to him. He glanced out the window and watched as the sun began to fade.

"It's beautiful." Her sweet voice felt like an electric shock in his brain. His head snapped towards her. She was smiling at him.

"Sorry, I'm such a klutz." She said. "Guess I was a little overwhelmed."

"You had a panic attack." Syaoran's voice cracked. She was okay…

"I know." She nodded, "I recognized the feeling. I haven't had one since mom died though, it was unexpected."

"Stop." He said his eyes stung, "just stop. Stop trying to be so strong. Cry, yell, anything…"

"I don't want to." She said, "I want you to come here." She patted to a spot next to her on the bed. Syaoran walked over and sat down. She sat up slowly and hugged his back.

"I'm fine." She whispered. She cut the sentence off abruptly as her tear ducts started to work on overdrive. She tried to cry silently but the choking sensation in her throat made her weeping a whole lot louder. Syaoran jump in surprise but turned around and held her against his chest.

"Just let it out." He whispered.

"I was so scared." She cried. "I thought… I couldn't…Don't do that to me again." Syaoran wanted to block those words out. They confirmed his worst fear. A recurring thought that had plagued him since they'd told him she'd had a panic attack. The thought that… what if… what if it was _his_ fault. What if it was because of him that she was in this depressing hospital. What if it was his fault that she'd begun to panic in the first place… what if it he'd caused it. And now he knew. Now he knew that he had.

"I was so weak." She whispered. "I couldn't say what I wanted to." She wept. "I could hear my heart inside my ears like the drums of war. And they kept getting faster and faster and then they stopped and I couldn't breathe… everything seemed to slow down…" Her words felt like bullets to him, as she told him how it'd felt. The words repeated themselves over and over in his head he wanted her to stop… but she told him everything… his eyes stayed open long after she'd cried herself to sleep.

**Hey guys, sorry… been a really long time… I know. Gah, Im so sorry.! .. I'm not sure what else to say. Again, I have absolutely no excuses. It's getting closer to the day of the ball and things just keep getting more and more complicated… poor Sakura.. poor Syaoran. They just never get a break do they?**

**I'll work on the next chapter soon. **

**Jiade-103**


	17. Day 16

Recap: _"I was so weak." She whispered. "I couldn't say what I wanted to." She wept. "I could hear my heart inside my ears like the drums of war. And they kept getting faster and faster and then they stopped and I couldn't breathe… everything seemed to slow down…" Her words felt like bullets to him, as she told him how it'd felt. The words repeated themselves over and over in his head he wanted her to stop… but she told him everything… his eyes stayed open long after she'd cried herself to sleep._

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 17

Day 16

August 16th

Syaoran walked behind a bouncing Sakura, she'd just been dispatched from the hospital and was on these pills that made her so incredibly happy that he wasn't really sure when would be a good time to apologize to her. He killed him that it was his fault she was in that depressing hospital in the first place and he couldn't bring himself to bring her down when she was so high. He smiled at her happy face but it was half-hearted. He could still remember the words that had cut through him.

'_Don't ever do that to me again'_ The confirmation that it was him. All him. He'd caused this. He wasn't sure exactly why it happened but he knew it was his fault.

'_everything seemed to slow down… the only thing I could hear was your footsteps, they sounded like they were the only things in the world. Echoing so loudly they made my ears hurt. Everything was black and white. And then suddenly my heart started beating again… and I could hear it… and it drowned out your footsteps… and then I started to breath again… I took in a deep breath filling my lungs, because they felt like they were going to break… and then… and then…' she cried harder 'and then I could taste it… your scent… and it's like the world came back into vision. And then it went blurry, a blur of colors and sounds and then there was you… still walking away from me.' She tried to calm herself. 'I heard myself speaking but I didn't feel myself moving my lips… it all sounded so… surreal… and my chest burned and my body felt like icicles.. and then…and then I fell.'_

_'and everything went black right?' Syaoran almost pleaded, all he wanted was for it to be over…_

_'no.' she said… ' No, then I saw you… in my vision. The only unblurry thing.' She managed a small smile. 'I couldn't hear what you were saying… but you were there… and worried… and I wanted to smile and tell you that It would be okay… because you looked so scared for me… the last thing I heard was you telling me to hang on…'_

_'and then it went black?' he asked desperately. _

_She nodded, 'and then it went black.' She held onto him. 'I was so scared…so weak…'_

Syaoran shook the memory from his vision but it stayed in his mind echoing. How could she want to make sure I was okay when she was the one panicking. And worse… I never gave her an answer.

_'do you really want it to be over?'_

His answer was no. He didn't want it to be over, in the sense that he didn't want _them_ to be over. He wanted the pretend to be over. He wanted it to be real. He sighed as Sakura seemed to not care about anything, she said hello to random strangers on the way to the car and had hugged him so tightly when she woke up and saw him there. Didn't she care that he was the reason? Why she had felt so scared and weak? Didn't it bother her at all?

"Hey Syao, did your sisters pick up my dress for the ball tomorrow?" Sakura asked randomly. Syaoran blinked. That's right. The ball was tomorrow.

"Yes." He replied. Sakura smiled excitedly.

"And you're still my date right?" She asked innocently. "Cause it's a bit late to get a new one."

"Yes." He repeated. He watched Sakura's smile grow. He did say that she was going to be his date. He'd have to have a pity party after the ball, now wasn't a good time.

"Are you okay Syaoran? You look really confused or something." Sakura but into his thoughts again.

"I'm fine." He smiled at her. She ignored his attempts.

"No your not." She said.

"Later Sakura, Later" Syaoran said. She looked at him with narrowed eyes and then nodded going on with her business. Syaoran sighed.

* * *

Sakura knocked on his door waiting patiently for him to open it. He opened it wrapped casually in a towel, soaking wet.

"Guess you were in the shower." She said flustered. He nodded. She pushed past him into his room and put her hands over her eyes.

"I'll wait until you're changed, but I'm waiting in here." She told him. Syaoran tired to protest but she wouldn't hear any of it. Syaoran grabbed some clothes and changed in the bathroom.

"You can open your eyes." He told her. She cautiously opened her eyes.

"Good, you're dressed." She smiled. "We have to talk."

"Now's not a good time." Syaoran said.

"Now's a perfect time. Sit down." She commanded. Syaoran was surprised at her forcefulness. He sat down on his bed.

"Yesterday." She began. "My panic attack. I said some things that obviously shook you up." Syaoran tried to deny it. "Shut up, for once in your life!" She shouted. "Just let me speak without you jumping in!" She waited but he didn't say anything. "Good." She said. "I'm sorry. I was upset and still dealing with the aftermath of the attack and I didn't mean to say those things to you. The details should have been between me, myself, and I and we should not have shared them with you." Syaoran opened his mouth but Sakura's glare stopped him.

"One other important, vital thing." She said each word with a force that said 'you better be listening'. "My panic attack, was _not_ your fault. I know I told you not to ever do 'that' to me ever again. I wasn't talking about what you think I was talking about. All my emotions were all jumbled up into one big merry go round and I couldn't control which ones I was speaking on behalf of. I'm sorry if I made you think it was you who caused it." And yes, Sakura was lying through her teeth. Of course he caused it. If he hadn't decided to go out on a whim and break up with her than none of this would have happened. But her attack was over, she was fine. He wasn't.

"If I ever catch you thinking or acting like it was your fault, I'll have another panic attack and that one _will_ be your fault. So smarten up and let it go." She threatened him. Syaoran finally managed a genuine smile.

"You're a good person Sakura." He said. "Thank you."

"Your welcome." She smiled.

"But." He continued, "when you were 'delusional' on your merry go round of emotions you said to me 'I couldn't say what I wanted to say' … what did you want to say. If you can tell me then I'll forget the incident ever happened." Sakura almost stopped breathing.

"Uh, can't tell you that." She said. "Pick again."

"No." He replied. "I want to know."

"Well I'll tell you after the ball then." She said. "But not right now."

"Why not?" He pressured.

"Because it doesn't feel right." She replied. "It has to be the right time. Now's not it."

"But you promise you _will_ tell me after the ball."

Sakura hesitated, "yes."

"Say you promise." Syaoran insisted.

Sakura took in a deep breath, "I promise."

-J103-

**Hello readers and reviewers. Sorry I'm slow on updates. I start College in September and I am trying to get as much done as I can towards my fanfics before I start because I'm afraid that I wont have time after I start. I'll try to get more chapters up soon. Sorry it's so slow. **

**Love you all ! **


	18. Day 17

Recap: _"But." He continued, "when you were 'delusional' on your merry go round of emotions you said to me 'I couldn't say what I wanted to say' … what did you want to say. If you can tell me then I'll forget the incident ever happened." Sakura almost stopped breathing. _

_"Uh, can't tell you that." She said. "Pick again." _

_"No." He replied. "I want to know."_

_"Well I'll tell you after the ball then." She said. "But not right now."_

_"Why not?" He pressured. _

_"Because it doesn't feel right." She replied. "It has to be the right time. Now's not it." _

_"But you promise you will tell me after the ball."_

_Sakura hesitated, "yes."_

_"Say you promise." Syaoran insisted._

_Sakura took in a deep breath, "I promise."_

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 18

Day 17

August 17th

Sakura was freaking out. It was the day of the ball and she still didn't have a clue what her dress looked like, she was supposed to confess to Syaoran and his sisters and mother were treating today like their wedding day, which wasn't helping the situation any. She was forbidden to see Syaoran until the ball started at 8 o'clock. She didn't know how to was going to manage to entertain herself and to top it off she didn't know how she was going to confess to him. She didn't even know why she made that stupid promise she should have crossed her fingers or something childish like that, anything to get out of it. On the bright side he was still her date, she'd managed to secure that.

Sakura fell backwards onto her bed deciding immediately to take a nap, she had 9 hours to kill before the ball and 7 hours to kill until she actually had to get ready for it. Or so she thought. She'd barely been laying on her bed for 10 minutes when Syaoran's four sisters came bursting through the door carrying a tray of food and a single dress.

"What are you doing laying down you lazy bum, we need to get you ready!" Fanran shouted. Sakura's face scrunched up momentarily before she reluctantly sat up. So much for that nap.

-CCS-

Syaoran was just as unhappy with the situation as Sakura was. Not only was he already in a suit because he had to help organize the finishing touches of the ball and his mother didn't want him to look like a _teenager_ when doing it just in case any of her business associates stopped by early. He was uncomfortable and bored. His cousin Eriol had shown up having been bribed by Yelan into helping Syaoran and to top it off Tomoyo was there also, mostly because she was a crazy fanatic decorator and was fixing everything the other decorators did wrong, according to her. Personally everything looked pretty good to Syaoran the decorators had done an amazing job. The already gorgeous mansion looked even more welcoming than before and it literally sparkled. Of course there was a buffet area and there were way to many flowers all over the place but over all it was beautiful, it didn't look like the play ground of two teenagers, which is what it really was. His eyes moved casually to an area in the middle of the ballroom. It was where he'd first seen Sakura all those years ago. She'd taken his breath away then and it had really just gotten worse with time he could ignore it back then, not anymore. But he smiled anyways, life would be so uneventful without Sakura in it, which was being proven right now.

-CCS-

Sakura wanted to scream. Her bedroom had been turned into a spa and Fuutie, Feimei, Sheifa and Fanran were going crazy doing her toes, nails, playing with her hair trying to find a style that fit and trying to find the perfect make-up combination. Her legs had been waxed and her eye brows done. She was stuck in a chair and wasn't allowed to move and she _still_ hadn't seen her dress!

"I hate you guys." She mumbled.

"You may hate us now, but you're going to love us when you see the look on Syaoran's face when he sees you." Fuutie winked. Sakura sunk into her chair even with the blush that came with that thought there was a dread that followed it. Was she really ready to tell him the truth?

-CCS-

Syaoran was in his room finally getting himself out of the stupid scratchy suit and getting ready for the ball. He checked off the things he'd already done. Showered. Check. Fixed hair. He looked in the mirror, uh… Check? His hair was proving impossible to tame. He walked over to his bed where his tux was laid out. He sighed and began to get dressed. This was it. His last day being Pretend Boyfriend Syaoran. Today it ended.

-CCS-

Sakura didn't even recognize herself. She looked … perfect. She slipped her feet into the faux glass heels that had been set out for her. Sheifa had insisted that they were going for a Cinderella feel for tonight. Well they'd pulled it off and could it be anymore ironic? She checked her curly up do one last time and put in a pair of dangling angel wing earrings before she left the room.

-CCS-

Syaoran forgot to breathe. Even though he knew that half the room wasn't even paying attention to the brunette descending the stairs he felt like everyone was a spectator, he felt like there was a light on her. That she _was_ the party. As she made her way down the stairs he held out his hand to her and felt an electric shock when she put her hand in his. He leaned in a kissed her forehead.

"You look beautiful." He whispered honestly. Sakura blushed. At first she was a little skeptical of the dress when she was put into it. It was pink and green and she looked like a butterfly, at least in her opinion she did. It was a pink corset top with green strings in the front and it made her breasts look way to busty, it was floor length and full. She had no idea how to sit in it because of the crazy crinoline under skirt she was forced into wearing. Yeah it made the dress look fuller but she still didn't see the point in it.

"Thanks." She whispered back. Thankfully the girls didn't put clown make-up on her, in fact she'd managed to convince them that a natural look would be perfect. But they seemed to make up for the lack of make-up by making her wear some serious bling in the form of a diamond necklace and a diamond bracelet. Sakura had mumbled that all that was missing was the diamond ring as a sarcastic joke and they'd replied 'well we'll leave that one for Syaoran.' Which had done absolutely nothing for her nerves.

Syaoran maneuvered Sakura to the dance floor and held her like the first day she had arrived all that was missing was him swinging down from the curtains. She smiled inwardly at the thought. She'd enjoy the night, without worries. She'd worry about the clock striking midnight later. For now she was Cinderella, in the arms of her prince charming.

"You look handsome." She said to break the silence, "very debonair."

"As do you," He repeated. Sakura smiled with amusement, choosing not to remind him that he'd already complimented her once tonight.

"Really? Because I thought I looked a bit like a pixie." She laughed. "It's like I'm tinkerbell or something. Like from Peter Pan, 'I do believe in faeries, I do, I do'." Syaoran chuckled at her childlike imagination.

"You'd be my favorite faerie of all time I think."

Sakura blushed, "even if I can't fly?"

"I think you can fly, don't you?" He whispered in her ear. Sakura's thoughts were mumbling 'well I certainly feel like I'm flying right now'. Her heart was fluttering like a bird in a cage, waiting anxiously to be let out.

"No, how can I fly without wings?" She inquired.

"Oh but you do have wings." He smiled, "I'll be your wings." His calm, charming, whispering voice caused shivers to caress her spine in a pleasant way.

"Then make me fly." She whispered back.

"As you wish." Syaoran spun Sakura around the room so fast and so smooth… and his eyes never leaving her own that Sakura actually felt as if she were flying. Flying high and her feel never touching the ground even though she knew that just as he was moving he was moving with her, he was her wings… and she was his. Flying. Together. As it should be.

And then she showed up.

"May I cut in?" Her voice was like silk, her eyes like the sea and her skin lightly tanned and perfectly glowing. She was wearing a dress what hung to every single one of her curves. Sakura may have looked like a pixie but this girl looked like a queen. She didn't need wings. She had the room.

"Hello Syaoran." The girl twirled a well-placed dangling piece of hair around her finger. She was seductive, beautiful... and as Syaoran grunted and took her hand in his, as they twirled around the room Sakura wanted to fly away for real… but she couldn't, because the other girl had stolen her wings.

"You okay love?" Ryao stood next to her and wrapped his arm comfortingly around her shoulder. Sakura leaned into him.

"Nope." She replied, "She's beautiful."

"Yes, she is." Sakura brushed off Ryao's arm and slipped from the room. So what if she couldn't fly, she had legs she could walk, jog… run. She took a single glance back into the window and saw Syaoran and the girl dancing and conversing. Her eyes fell downcast and filled with water. Her fingers fumbled with her shoes but she soon had the overrated things off her feet and as she ran she forcefully pulled her hair out of its intricate style and it laid lightly curled on her shoulders. She didn't care where she was going. She wasn't Cinderella. She was tinkerbell. And Peter just ran off with Wendy.

-CCS-

Syaoran looked around the room anxiously, he couldn't find Sakura anywhere.

"Ryao, have you seen Sakura?" Syaoran asked reluctantly.

"She ran away." Was the answer he received.

"What do you mean she ran away?" Syaoran questioned.

"She got intimidated by the black haired, long legged bitch and left." Ryao wanted to tell Syaoran to go after Sakura, he wanted to tell him that Sakura loved him and was jealous and hurt and didn't know what to do… but that wasn't his place. His place was to give him a chance. A chance to make a choice.

-CCS-

Syaoran sat outside on a bench in the garden area. Sakura's shoes were on the bench beside him. He let her slip away, again. He felt like Prince Charming, with Cinderella's glass slipper… except he had both slippers and he knew where Cinderella lived. The ball was going on without him and midnight was approaching. He knew when the clock stuck twelve the ball would still be going and there would still be a chance that Sakura would still be missing. He wasn't Prince Charming. He was just himself, and he was starting to wonder if he was good enough. It was an on-going battle. Was he good enough for her? Would he ever be good enough for her?

He heard the clock ring twelve times. Midnight. And Cinderella was gone.

"Ahem…" The clearing of a throat startled Syaoran he quickly glanced up at the culprit.

"Sakura…" He whispered.

"Yeah… me…" She agreed awkwardly. "I uh, forgot my shoes."

"Oh yeah. Sorry." He tried to hand them to her and she shook her head. He put the shoes down confused.

"I lied. It's not the shoes I came back for." She said nervously. "You have to understand something Syaoran. I run. I always have. I run away when I'm scared or upset or angry. Or when I don't want to face something, but as I was running away tonight I realized that I didn't want to run away anymore. I don't want to be a coward." Sakura took a breath. Her face was flushed, her hair was a wreck and her feet were brown with dirt, but Syaoran thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen regardless.

"I love you." She blurted. "I've loved you for a while now and I keep running away from that feeling because I know it can hurt me, and I'm done running. I don't care if it hurts me. I don't care anymore. I…" She forced herself to look him in the eye, her eyes were wet and tears were flowing down her cheeks but her voice was firm. "I want you. Out of everything in the world the only thing I want is you. And I'd give anything for you to want me too."

Syaoran looked everywhere but at her. His heart felt like it was about to burst. Everything he'd wanted her to say, she'd said. Everything he'd ever wanted was right in front of him. The clock had struck midnight, and she was still Cinderella and the magic was still there. But he wasn't Prince Charming. He glanced her way and with that glance told her everything she needed to know. He watched as she fell onto the grassy floor and cried into her hands. And as he walked away from her he felt his heart split into a million pieces like shattered glass. This was no fairytale. This was reality. And it had just come crashing down on both of them.

-J103-

Don't hate me!

It had to happen. It couldn't end happy, not this chapter… it's too soon. DX .

Sorry it's taking me forever to update. But I have to do college stuff and have a life -.-

So.. I'll update again soon. Sorry it's short and rushed and all that stuff.

Jiade103

P.S. Thank you to everyone to reviewed, hounded me and added me or the story to favourites XD


	19. Day 18

Recap: _Syaoran looked everywhere but at her. His heart felt like it was about to burst. Everything he'd wanted her to say, she'd said. Everything he'd ever wanted was right in front of him. The clock had struck midnight, and she was still Cinderella and the magic was still there. But he wasn't Prince Charming. He glanced her way and with that glance told her everything she needed to know. He watched as she fell onto the grassy floor and cried into her hands. And as he walked away from her he felt his heart split into a million pieces like shattered glass. This was no fairytale. This was reality. And it had just come crashing down on both of them._

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 19

Day 18

August 18th

Sakura hadn't left her bed. She hadn't shed a tear or slept a wink. She just laid there, broken. It was as if a light had been burnt out of her life, it felt like she was a puppet not a person, like she wasn't real, wasn't there, wasn't anything at all. She just felt numb. Empty. She couldn't feel her heart anymore, it was as if it didn't exist. She felt stupid, as if she confessed to him. As if she let herself become this vulnerable. She should have just loved him from afar, it would have been much easier but no, she had to go and ruin it for herself and close the door to her happy ending. Her perfect fantasy ruined.

The door creaked open, "Sakura, you have to eat something." Sakura didn't reply.

"Come on Sakura. You have to get out of bed, you can't stay there forever." Sakura ignored the presence and stayed as still as she had been, like a statue… she wondered if she was even breathing. She heard the door shut quietly, her eyes stared straight ahead as they had been, she didn't feel like moving. What was the point? How would she benefit from it? If she left the room she'd see him.

"Stupid you have to get up." Ryao sat on her bed and calmly rubbed her back, "Come love, you're going to starve to death up here and only your stink will accompany you." Sakura did not speak as Ryao gradually coaxed her to leave the room. She walked like a corpse. She didn't see where she was walking or what she was doing. Her mind was blank, too numb to even think.

A bowl of porridge was placed in front of her at the dining room table. She just stared at it.

"How's she doing?" Feimei asked Ryao, Ryao just shook his head.

"I wish we could stay, but we have to go back to our lives. I just can't believe we're going to leave her like this."

"It's okay, she'll be okay." Ryao said, "She's stronger than even she knows she is." Ryao's heart hurt looking at Sakura in this state. He wanted to punch Syaoran so hard that the rest of Asia felt it. Instead he placed his hand on Sakura's back and kissed the top of her head.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine."He whispered. Sakura barely heard the words, everything sounded like a blur to her.

"Come back and visit anytime." – but that voice she heard loud and clear. Her eyes widened, her palms started to sweat, she started shivering and just like that her eyes rolled into the back of her head and everything went black.

-CCS-

She woke up in the hospital a few hours later. Alone. She feel back into unconsciousness, it was as empty as her conscious world.

-CSS-

Syaoran felt like the villain of all villains. He ruined his own love life let alone potentially the life of someone he loves. How screwed up could he possibly be? Screwed enough to reject her with one glance and listen to her sobs as he walked coldy away. And now she was laying unconscious in a hospital room and what was he doing? Obviously not sitting by her side, he was at a meeting. A meeting designed to choose his _fiancé_. How's that for irony? Girl he loves and could potentially marry is lying helplessly in a hospital bed while he's picking out a bride. Sick. Absolutely sick. He was disgusted with himself. But what was he supposed to do? Run off to her side like the Prince Charming he wasn't?

"Oh look there goes Sakura, jumping off the building!"

Syaoran shot out of his seat and turned towards the window. The group started laughing.

"Now what we've got your attention, can we proceed?" A man said, Syaoran glared at the group but embarrassedly sat down. For now he'd have to endure it. He couldn't save her this time.

-CSS-

The doctors checked every inch of her but couldn't find a reason for her silence. Physically she wasn't hurt in any way, her ankle had healed nicely and she wasn't bruised or battered. But she wouldn't speak to tell them what was wrong. Sakura just stared blankly, not really seeing anything. She didn't hear the words they were speaking or the questions they were asking.

"What's your blood type?"

"How old are you?"

"Where's your family?"

"Are you okay?"

"Do you have any allergies?"

These questions bounced off her statue like figure, not even making a dent.

"She's Blood Type O." – and there was that voice again, "She's 16, her mom died when she was young and her father is in Canada on business. She's staying with me and my family nearby. Obviously she's not okay and she has no known allergies." Syaoran felt like a mess, he had run out of the consultation about his bride-to-be, his tie was undone and his shirt untucked and he was sure that his pant legs had mud up to his calves from the rain. And above that he felt like he was meddling in something that he shouldn't be meddling in.

"Any other questions?" He asked.

"Do you have any idea what happened to her?" The doctor asked.

"I have an idea." Syaoran glanced at Sakura and sighed, "I think I broke her heart." The first conscious thought Sakura mustered flew out of her mouth like a projectile.

"You think?" Her hand clapped over her mouth. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. I was supposed to be a thought. Just a thought. Syaoran spun towards her. Her normally strong appearance had faded and left the illusion of a fragile girl, her hair looked wilted and her eyes empty.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, Sakura watched him leave the room and as soon as he was gone unconsciousness consumed her again.

-CSS-

"Heart break?" A nurse asked Syaoran.

"It's a long story." He said.

"Well considering the look of you, it doesn't look like you're not in love with her. It looks like you ran here in the mud to see if she was okay… worried?"

"I love her very much." He replied, "I'm scared. I'm scared that she'll fall into a darkness that I can't pull her out of. I just can't be with her. No matter how much I love her."

"Why?" The nurse asked.

"I have obligations. An arranged marriage I'd forgotten about." He said.

"Ignore something that trivial. If you love her, then take her. Ignore things so unimportant. People run away from arranged marriages all the time."

"I wish it was that easy." He whispered, "I want to be her wings."

"You really do love her…" The nurse confirmed.

"More than I thought was possible." Syaoran replied, "more than the moon and the stars and the earth we're living on."

"More than duty?" The nurse asked cleverly. Syaoran wanted to answer yes, because he did. But it wasn't that simple. He wanted to protect her, to make her happy. But his past, present and future was going to chase him no matter where he went and they didn't care how much he loved the cherry blossom.

-CSS-

Sakura was lost in her own nightmare, she wanted to wake up. In reality she was numb and unable to feel a single thing but in her dreams she could feel and what she felt was fear. Fear of losing herself and fear of losing Syaoran. She felt like half a being without him, like he was her other half. And in her nightmare that was shown clearly.

_She was happily standing next to Syaoran he was her other arms and her other legs and he was happily standing next to her. Happily loving her. Happily apart of her. And then a lightning bolt came down and split them in half and as he was propelled away from her and her from him the link between then severed, and when he got up he walked further and further away from her but she kept running after him… never to catch him or to be whole with him again._

Sakura jolted awake, again with the cryptic nightmares. She hated them, more than she hated having to wake up and see the empty room greeting her. More than she hated staring at the pasty white ceiling and walls waiting for life to right itself again, and almost as much as she hated hearing _his_ voice coming from the doorway, or the hallway, or the bedside, or her own mind. Why did her mind have to torture her like this? Was it because she was numb during the daytime that she had to feel more than usual in her dreams? Why was she being punished for falling in love with someone she thought might love her too? Why was this happening to her? Why did she stare at her food but felt no desire to eat it – no matter how appetizing it may appear?

"Sakura, I know that you don't want anything to do with me, but you have to eat." Syaoran's voice cut through her like a knife but she forced herself to turn her head and look at him. She whipped her head away quickly. He looked awful. Like he hadn't slept, or eaten, or even bathed. He looked worse than she did, and she looked pretty bad.

"I love you." She said strongly, though her insides where shaking, "I want everything to do with you. But I'm just not hungry." Syaoran stared at the girl laying in the hospital bed in front of him. She looked so frail, so unhealthy and so vulnerable but there she was, repeating the words she'd said once before. The same words that stuck her here in the first place. She was stronger than he was, she was a warrior.

"You already know my reaction." Was his only reply before he fled the room. He felt like crying. The nurses words kept replaying over and over in his head. '_more than duty?'_. He would die for her, kill for her! So why couldn't he disobey his parents for her? Was he that scared? Complications happen and one thing he was taught throughout his life was that nothing lasts forever, nothing. Maybe that's why he couldn't bring himself to run away from his obligations. Because if he chose Sakura than everything he had and everything he'd worked for would be gone forever and eventually Sakura would leave. And then he'd be left alone with nothing. He couldn't trust that there was a forever even though he felt like it could be. She was everything he'd ever wanted and was there for the taking and yet he couldn't make himself take it.

"You should learn to think with your heart, not your head." The nurse said. Syaoran had to remind himself to breathe, this woman popped up everywhere.

"Are you a mind reader or something?" He asked wirily.

"No." She smiled, "But I can see from afar that you're still toying with the idea of loving her openly or burying your love for her. If you feel it in your heart then stop thinking about it so much." The nurse casually walked away as Syaoran stared at her back. She was beginning to creep him out.

-CSS-

Sakura looked at her food again. Sighing in discontent she picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, even though it made her nauseous. If Syaoran wanted her to eat, she would eat. If only to show him that she wasn't lying. She loved him, and that meant she'd do anything for him. Even eat gross hospital food.

-CSS-

Syaoran opened the door to his mansion and stopped dead in his tracks.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. The woman just smiled, a smile that though charming was mysterious.

"Ah, Syaoran, this is Naomi. Your fiancé." Yelan smiled a smile identical to the other woman's.

"Excuse me… fiancé? Her? Stalker nurse lady is my fiancé?"

"Nice to meet you Li Syaoran." Naomi curtsied. Syaoran's eyes rolled into the back of his head and fell to the floor. Everything went black.

-J103-

Sorry it's so short... I actually have to go to class in 15 minutes... so I was running out of time. But um, yeah. Hope you like it. I'll try to find some time between now and the new year to write another chapter but with college and christmas i'm not sure if I'll get to it. But thank you to everything whose been reading, reviewing, adding this story or me to favorites or alerts, it means a lot to me. So thank you all very much.

Have a good day, :) .


	20. Day 19

*sigh* what annoys me is that I had this entire chapter written and never posted it because it wasn't good enough. And then my laptop died, so it is lost. So now I get to write it all over again, and everyone knows the second is never as good as the first. So bear with me.

* * *

_Syaoran opened the door to his mansion and stopped dead in his tracks._

_"What are you doing here?" He asked. The woman just smiled, a smile that though charming was mysterious._

_"Ah, Syaoran, this is Naomi. Your fiancé." Yelan smiled a smile identical to the other woman's._

_"Excuse me… fiancé? Her? Stalker nurse lady is my fiancé?"_

_"Nice to meet you Li Syaoran." Naomi curtsied. Syaoran's eyes rolled into the back of his head and fell to the floor. Everything went black._

* * *

An Unpredictable Month

Chapter 20

Day 19

August 19th

"… and I just can't believe that you're stubbornly refusing to tell the girl that you love her when it's so clear that you do. If even I can figure it out I'm pretty sure your mom has… I don't even have a purpose here. I'm just the poor little fiancé who gets to sit by your sick bed and wait for you to wake up…" Naomi's voice trailed off, sounding more and more agitated. "I can't believe you fainted. What a sissy." She snorted. "Or is it that being married to me is such a horrible thing that you can't even stand the thought of it, so much so you _faint_."

Syaoran's eyes weren't open but he could hear everything, and the way Naomi was saying the word 'faint' was making him twitch in irritation. Was she purposely trying to make him angry?

"Seriously," she continued. "I'm sitting in a hospital waiting for you to open your eyes and all I can think about his how much you should be with _her_. If you were a man you would stop sitting around like this, rush into that room, take her in your arms, kiss her like no tomorrow and say those three magical words. Granted after all this she'll probably think of a hundred different reasons for why you're coming to her now and none of them will be because you really love her… but if you were a man you'd stick it out until you convince her. Clearly you're not a man."

Syaoran's jaw tensed. Not only was she making him sound like a complete moron for fainting she was completely emasculating him.

"_Men!_" She announced with a sigh, "can't even stop pretending to be sleeping long enough to defend his own manhood. I could start attacking the girl… or look under his sheets, see if he really is a man. With my luck he'd end up having girl parts." Naomi grumbled. "Certainly acts like he has girl parts."

"Enough." Syaoran said through clenched teeth. "I have a duty to my family and my future. I can't throw it all away for a girl. I understand that, why don't you?" He was so sick and tired of feeling like crap for the choice he'd already made, he was sick of being told he was wrong and he didn't feel like he deserved to be treated like a parasite by this woman who was supposed to marry him. She didn't even know him.

"Morning sunshine." Naomi said to him. "And to answer your question… because I believe in love. What good is family and future when you're going to regret losing the love of your life?"

Syaoran sat up in his bed and looked directly at Naomi. "You are my fiancé. I don't know whatever twist of fate decided that but you are. You're going to have to live with it."

"I don't want to!" Naomi shouted.

Syaoran sat stunned. Naomi didn't seem like the kind of person to raise her voice to anybody.

"I don't want to." She repeated. "I don't want to be married to a guy who's in love with another woman! I don't want that life. I'd give up my family and my future _not_ to have it! I am _not_ the other woman! I won't be the _other_ woman in my own marriage just because you are too stupid to be with the woman you fell for!"

Syaoran was completely speechless. He hadn't considered what it would be like for Naomi. He'd only thought of himself, a reoccurring problem it seemed. He'd ended up sticking the girl he loves in a hospital and the woman he was about to marry was hurting inside because she was about to end up being second best.

"I know you don't have words." Naomi sighed, "But think of me for a second, don't I deserve to be happy? To be loved?"

"I can learn to love you." Syaoran tried, but his voice sounded unsure and he felt even more unsure about the promise.

"First loved." She added. "I deserve to be loved first." She touched his hand, "I can't break this engagement… only you can do that."

Syaoran looked at their hands and then looked at her, "Naomi…"

"Please." She begged. "I can't be unloved for all my life. I can't be second."

Syaoran nodded. "Okay." His voice sounded like a whispery sound.

"And then you can go back to Sakura."

"No." He shook his head, "No… I can't."

Naomi just stared at him. She couldn't seem to decide whether to shake her head in dismay or to nod in understanding. Instead she just said, "Just don't wait too long."

"At least I understand why you've been trying so hard to get my and Sakura together now." Syaoran smiled. "I didn't get it before… it worried me. My fiancé – excuse me, ex-fiancé –" She smiled again, "trying to meddle in my love life and set me up with someone else. I get it now. The engagement is off."

Naomi smiled. "Thank you." She kissed his hand gently and walked towards the door. "And you're wrong. My reason for everything is the simple fact that I believe in love." And she disappeared into the hallway leaving Syaoran feeling just as empty as the space she had just left.

Yesterday he was engaged, today he wasn't. Yesterday he ran through the mud and rain to visit Sakura in the hospital, today he was laying in the same hospital trying not to think about her. Yesterday he thought he was right, today he wasn't so sure. One day. That was it. A single day and things seemed to had descended into hell.

* * *

Sakura stared at the white curtain billowing in the breeze. It seemed to full of hope when she felt like there was none. How many more times could she listen to him tell her that she's not the one? How long could she hold out? How could she be this weak in the first place? If only she could leave the hospital, maybe she could move on. Maybe she could learn to live again. There were worse things right? Like torture, or rape, or starving people all over the world, or being forced to sell yourself for food, or being sold off for your family… those were certainly worse. So much worse than being turned down by the guy you're in love with, right?

No matter how much she told herself these things she still felt like someone had ripped her apart. She was scared. Scared that she could have become like this over a guy, scared that she didn't know if she wanted to get better, scared that she was getting more and more depressed. She didn't even believe in this! All those girls who fall into nothing because of a guy, she never believed it that. It all seemed so melodramatic and absolutely nonsensical, she'd have to remember to apologize to all the girls she'd secretly rolled her eyes at after they broke down because of a guy.

She turned her head away from the curtains and stared at the wall instead.

"Hi there." A doctor came bouncing in. "I'm just going to check your stats and make sure you're a-okay." She smiled.

"I'd like to leave." Sakura told her. "I can't stay here anymore."

"Why is that sweet pea?" The doctor asked while checking the monitors.

Sakura struggled with her thoughts for a moment. What was she supposed to tell her? '_hey I'm all better, let me out.'_ ? or how about '_I feel like one of those girls in soap operas and I need to escape, please let me go'_ ? None of those seemed like good options.

"It's depressing." She finally said. "It's not helping me to be in here staring at walls when I could be out there."

The doctor looked at Sakura with half a frown. "Unfortunately I can't do anything about letting you go home right now, but I will do whatever you need to make this place more comfortable for you." She smiled again. Sakura sighed.

"You've only been in here for a day, don't worry… they'll discharge you soon." The doctor said. "All your stats seem very good, you're a very healthy young lady."

Sakura almost snorted. There wasn't anything healthy about her thoughts. The doctor gave her one last smile before leaving the room. Sakura looked at the curtains again.

"I need out." She said.

* * *

Syaoran paced outside his mother's office doors. Practicing a speech inside his head, there was so much to say and not much time to say it, and certainly no time for error.

"She'll see you now Mr. Li." His mother's secretary told him. Syaoran took a deep breath and entered the office.

"Syaoran. This is a pleasant surprise. How's Sakura?" Yelan asked

"Mother." He said strongly, "I've broken off my engagement with Naomi. We both agreed on it so I will consider the matter of our engagement settled, we will not be getting married." His eyes didn't waver from hers but he felt like all his confidence was the air inside a balloon, it would all come rushing out at the smallest puncture.

Yelan eyed her son and then nodded once, "Consider it done."

Syaoran blinked, "Okay… okay perfect. Thank you mother."

"Was that all?" She asked knowingly. "Perhaps there was something regarding Sakura you'd like to tell me?"

"No." Syaoran said after a moment, "there's nothing else."

* * *

Sakura resorted to closing her eyes. The darkness was much more welcoming than the objects in her room, the doctors had finished their rounds and now she was just waiting for the day to end. Just another day that would end like all the rest. Just one more day. In the grand scheme of things it didn't matter very much… it was just one day.

Being here locked in a room without anyone was exactly like the time Syaoran had stuck her in her room after she hurt her ankle and it was dark and gloomy and she felt like the world was going on without her. This was just a more severe case of that. She tried to remember how she'd managed to escape.

_"No, let me go!" She shouted. At this exact moment, Syaoran was kicking the door closed behind him as Sakura was hoisted on his shoulder helpless. She screamed and shouted all the way to the kitchen when he finally set her down on the counter._

Sakura sighed, that's right. Syaoran had stolen her and made her eat. Then she'd know he was just trying to protect her, what was he doing now?

"Syaoran." She whispered into the darkness.

* * *

Sakura let out a huge sigh. She'd told herself that she didn't care if he said he didn't want her, she'd told him that she didn't care if she got hurt. So why was she in this hospital under the watchful eyes of doctors and nurses feeling like a heart broken mess? She was stronger than this. Ryao had thought she was stronger than this, Syaoran had thought she was stronger than this, she had thought she was stronger than this and for goodness sake she was going to be stronger than this.

Sakura crinkled her brow in determination and called for a nurse.

"Hi… could you call Li Syaoran for me? I need to talk to him." Sakura asked sweetly. "It's important."

The nurse nodded and left the room. Now all she had to do was wait. One way or another Sakura was getting out of this hospital tomorrow, this was going to be fixed. She would not sit here like a depressed, heart-broken teenager, she would not sink to that melodramatic level.

* * *

Syaoran stepped into the room cautiously.

"You rang?" He drawled.

"I think we need to talk." She told him. "In fact we do need to talk."

Syaoran looked at her, she was sitting up in her bed looking healthier than he'd seen her since she collapsed. He couldn't avoid this forever.

"Fine." He replied. "We'll talk."

Sakura smiled, "Good. I think there's a few things you have wrong." She watched Syaoran raise his eye-brows. "First of all, before I start, this is a truth zone. There will be no more lies. Agreed?"

Syaoran hesitated but nodded his head.

"Good." She smiled wider. "When I had that panic attack, it was your fault. Suddenly breaking up with me like that when I love you so much, that was foolish. I told you it wasn't your fault because I wanted to protect you. Now it can't be entirely your fault obviously, I should have been stronger and I wasn't. I wasn't prepared for it, you had told me that everything was going to be fine, that no one was going to get hurt. I believed you. That was my fault."

Syaoran didn't say anything. He felt a rush of overwhelming thoughts swarm him. Who was this girl sitting in front of him? She seemed to be much more confident than the Sakura who had been staring at walls and refusing meals just yesterday.

Sakura continued on. "You need to stop telling me that everything will be _fine_." Sakura said to him forcefully. "Truth Syaoran, _truth_. Does that word mean anything to you anymore?"

Syaoran's voice was caught in his throat. "I thought this was a conversation, not an attack." He choked out.

Sakura took a breath. "You're right. This is a conversation, is there anything you'd like to say to me?"

"Does it ever throw you off how many times you've been in the hospital this month? Or how many times you've been hurt? You're a walking disaster and I'm helping you every step of the way. That is not healthy. I can't be here." Syaoran told her. "Did it ever occur to you that we're not supposed to be friends? That we're not supposed to be together? It's my fault you almost had an eating disorder, it's my fault you hurt your ankle, it's my fault you had that panic attack, it's my fault you're here right now."

Sakura shook her head, "Not exactly." She said softly, "It's my fault for not being strong enough. I'm weak when it comes to you and your opinion means everything to me. I know that now, I can handle it now."

"You're in a hospital Sakura." Syaoran pointed out. "You wouldn't even touch food yesterday."

Sakura ignored this, "I love you." She said this with such determination that Syaoran was stunned for a brief moment.

"I told you how I feel about you already." He replied with finality.

"Actually, you never said you didn't love me." Sakura told him calmly. "You never said anything. You just looked away and I took it as rejection, which it was, but I want to hear it from your mouth." She took a breath and sat up taller. "Tell me that you don't love me. Tell me that you don't want to be with me. Tell me the truth."

Syaoran stood there looking at her. She had backed him into a corner and there were three ways out of it. 1. Run. 2. Tell the truth. 3. Lie. Except he couldn't lie because he'd promised to tell the truth, he couldn't tell the truth because he couldn't be with her and he couldn't run. He couldn't run because that's what he had been doing the entire time. Running away from her and running away from the feeling he wasn't supposed to have.

"_You have to understand something Syaoran. I run. I always have. I run away when I'm scared or upset or angry. Or when I don't want to face something, but as I was running away tonight I realized that I didn't want to run away anymore. I don't want to be a coward."_ Sakura's words tumbled through his mind. That night she'd stood tall and told him that she wouldn't run anymore and now she was sitting in front of her like the princess she was and telling him once again that she wasn't running. He couldn't understand how she kept saying how strong she wasn't, she seemed to be the strongest person he knew. She just kept coming back at full force.

"I can't give you an answer." He told her. "I can't tell you the truth, I can't lie to you and I can't run. So all I can say to you is that I can't give you an answer."

Sakura bit the bottom of her lip in thought. She could deal with that. That meant that he might or might not love her. It didn't give her a definite but it gave her a fleeting hope.

"Okay." She replied. "I'll take that. This isn't over though Syaoran, I'm not giving up. I'm not fleeing. Consider this carefully, I'm still under your care until the 31st. I will see you every day and every day you will be reminded that I am in love with you. One of these days you will have to tell me the truth, whether it's an answer I want to hear or one I don't… you will give me an answer."

Syaoran swallowed hard. She was going to make his life difficult, he could just imagine it. "Can I leave?" He asked her. "I said I couldn't run, leaving without permission right now seems like running."

Sakura laughed. "You can leave as soon as you hug me." Her smile lit up her entire face. "I know the conversation was heavy, but I'm still your friend and you're still my friend… I don't want that to end just because I confessed. I still want to throw spaghetti at your face."

Syaoran laughed out loud for the first time in days. "Your aim sucks, the only time you hit me is by accident."

"Well in that case I hit you by accident a lot." Sakura retorted. Syaoran laughed again, the tension leaving his body. He walked over to her bed and gave her a bear hug, it felt good to have her in his arms again.

"You can leave now." She told him when he let go. Syaoran walked towards the door but didn't go through it, he picked up the visitor's chair and placed it beside the bed.

"I think I'll stay actually." He said with a smile, "I want to talk to my friend for a while."

* * *

**Hi ladies and gentlemen : ) . Welcome back! It's midnight, go me! I did some of this chapter yesterday... some it a few weeks ago… here and there type thing. I wasn't sure where I wanted this chapter to end until I'd gotten close to the end. I wanted to complete this yesterday but the internet was out so I couldn't re-read the last few chapters to see where I wanted to go with this so I did a draft last night and when the internet was fixed today I re-read and edited and this is what you ended up with. **

**Thank you so much for your loyalty and I hope you all don't hate me too much. There's still a month left of summer and now my ideas are flowing so I should update at least once more before I jump back into school. **

**Thanks for everything so far, **

**Jiade-103**

**As usual, only review if you want to. I don't have a 'review this many times and I'll update' mandate.**


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